Content
The main requirements for a country heater are efficiency, mobility and speed. The unit should consume a minimum of energy, be easily transported to any room and quickly heat up the room. An important condition is the safe operation of the electrical product, in order to avoid a fire. Our today's review is devoted to energy-saving heaters for summer cottages, as well as the criteria for their selection.
What to look for when choosing a country heater
It is necessary to choose a country heater not only at a low cost. Often such cheap models are dangerous to use and consume a lot of energy. It is important to adhere to several important rules when choosing a unit:
- installation of a heater in the country should be done easily and quickly;
- it is good if the unit is mobile so that it can be easily transferred from room to room;
- maximum level of fire safety;
- a heater for a summer residence should be economical, but effective;
- the multifunctionality of the unit is welcomed, which allows you to regulate the heating modes;
- the lowest cost of the product without sacrificing quality.
Guided by these basic requirements, we will try to determine which model is best to choose for the summer residence.
The video tells about the rules for choosing a heater for a summer residence:
Overview of Electric Heaters
If any heating device can be used to heat a garage or outbuilding, even one that runs on gasoline or diesel fuel, then a unit that functions only from electricity is appropriate in the house. Let's look at what kind of electric heaters can heat a country house and a separate room.
Convectors
Electric convectors can be called the most common heaters. They are used not only in the country, but also in any other premises. Models can be mobile on wheels and wall-mounted. Convectors of the mobile type are very convenient to use due to their mobility. If the dacha is uninhabited and you only need to temporarily heat one of the rooms, you can buy only one convector. If necessary, it can be easily rolled into any room and simply plugged into an outlet.
Convectors are arranged quite simply. Inside the metal case there is a spiral and overheating protection. These models are considered the cheapest. They constantly keep the temperature of the case within 80aboutC. More expensive convectors are equipped with a control unit and a thermostat. This allows you to regulate the heating temperature and control the operation of the heater. Despite the initial costs when buying a product for a summer residence, such convectors are economical to operate.
Depending on the model, the cost of the convector ranges from 3 to 7 thousand rubles. If it is necessary to heat all the rooms, then it is better to give preference to wall-mounted convectors. The total cost of heating installation is easy to calculate by the number of rooms.
For example, in the bathroom, splashes of water can enter the interior of the appliance, which can cause a short circuit. It is better to use electric heated towel rails here.
Infrared panels
The second most popular for country heating can be given to IR panels. Mobility is out of the question here, since heaters are permanently mounted on the walls or ceilings of each room. IR panels are fixed to the ceiling with special brackets included in the kit. For wall installation, you will have to buy special fasteners separately. The panels are controlled via a temperature sensor.
In terms of energy consumption, infrared panels are considered economical. However, there are certain drawbacks. The most important of these is the negative impact of infrared rays on humans. Installation of panels is safe only on high ceilings. Almost like all heaters, infrared panels dry the air. As for the cost, 1 high-quality product will cost about 3.5 thousand rubles.
The video shows the installation of an IR heater:
Oil radiators
The third place can be given to oil coolers. In terms of energy consumption, they are considered the most unprofitable for giving. Inside the metal case there is a powerful heating element filled with oil. In order for the heater to begin to emit heat, the heating element must warm up all the oil, which, in turn, will already give off heat to the metal body. However, in terms of mobility, this heating option wins. The radiators are equipped with castors. They can be easily rolled from room to room and simply plugged into an outlet.
You don't have to worry about security. The heater is protected against overheating. Some models are disabled when rollover. The radiator is controlled only manually, which is not always convenient. Normally, only the required temperature can be set by the oil heater control unit. On more powerful models there are buttons for switching on 1 or 2 heating elements. Another oil heater gains in cost. The price of 1 product varies from 2 to 3 thousand rubles.
Fan heaters
Among electric heaters, the fan heater can be given the first place in terms of mobility and speed of heating the room. Arriving at a cold dacha, it is enough to bring the heater into the room, connect it to an outlet and after a few minutes the air will warm up to 21aboutC. Moreover, the compactness and light weight of the fan heater make it possible to carry it in the trunk of a car.
This is where all the advantages of such a heater end. From the side of energy saving, they are unprofitable. The fire safety class does not allow them to be left to work unattended. A working spiral burns oxygen, which is why dry air enters the room. The operation of the fan heater is only manually controlled. The user can only change the temperature and fan speed to supply a certain amount of air.
For the price, the consumer is provided with a huge selection of models. You can buy a product worth from 600 to 8 thousand rubles. Most often, the price is due to the power of the fan heater.
Electric fireplace
This modern heater will decorate the interior of the summer cottage. The purchase of an electric fireplace has several advantages;
- If you want to have a real fireplace, building it will be very expensive. Using an electrical analog is much cheaper.
- To build a real fireplace, you will have to hire expensive specialists.The electric model can be independently placed on any wall in the room and connected to an outlet.
- To build a real fireplace, you will need to draw up the appropriate documents, which does not require an electric fireplace.
From a reasonable point of view, an electric fireplace for a summer residence is more a decoration, and it can only heat one room. Although the heater can be rearranged, hardly anyone will do it. The cost of electric fireplaces is quite high, which is not affordable for everyone.
Heater picture
Recently, the so-called heating pictures have become fashionable. These kind of wall heaters look like a plastic canvas with a simple image. The thickness of the film itself is approximately 1 mm. The sizes of the paintings can be very different depending on their power. There is a special heating element inside the film. The whole system is so flexible that some paintings can be rolled up.
The power of the paintings-heaters varies from 200 to 500 watts. Manufacturers assure that compared to oil or IR heaters, paintings are more economical by 1.5-2 kW with the same heating area.
A more accurate device of the picture-heater is as follows:
- The front side is represented by the first film layer. A drawing is drawn on it. In addition to decorative functions, the first layer carries nothing else.
- Next up is a carbon heater hidden behind two protective layers. Two layers of film protect the carbon fiber from damage.
The picture works from a 220 volt network by simply plugging it into an outlet. When electricity is supplied, the carbon heater emits infrared rays, which are a source of heat.
However, paintings for summer cottages will not work as the main heating. It is appropriate to hang such a heater in the bedroom for auxiliary heating of the room. No temperature control or automation is provided here. They plugged it in - the picture heats up, they removed the plug from the outlet - the heating has stopped.
This video tells about the work of a wall heater:
So what is better to choose for a summer residence
It's time to summarize our review of heaters for summer cottages. The best choice for all the advantages and disadvantages would be IR heaters. Permanently fixed panels on the ceiling in all rooms will quickly dry the room from dampness, and warm the air for a comfortable holiday in the country. In terms of energy consumption, this is the most economical heater for a summer residence and a very profitable option.
The first place in terms of safety and functionality can be given to electric convectors. They dry the air the least, which is very important for human health. In terms of energy consumption, convectors are inferior to IR heaters, but for the sake of the comfort of a summer cottage, you can close your eyes to such a drawback.
As for the rest of the heaters we have considered, their purpose can be called specific, and as an option for full-fledged summer cottage heating, they are not suitable.
