According to the last Practical Guide to Energy, Efficient and Responsible Consumption, edited by the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), the types of heating used in Spain vary greatly depending on the regions, since there are places where it is barely It needs heating throughout the year. 10% of homes have central heating, while more than 25% have individual heating. The most common heating installation is gas, followed by electric, and in these cases, heating accounts for an average of 15% of the home’s electrical expenditure.
In recent years, electricity prices have experienced significant fluctuations, leading to talk of energy povertysince there are families who cannot afford to heat their home adequately. For this reason, choosing the right electric radiator for your home is not a trivial decision, and the different options available on the market, and manufacturers’ advertising, can create some confusion.
The efficiency problem
The first thing is to clarify that the efficiency of any electric radiator will be very similar. Energy efficiency is the percentage of electrical energy converted into useful heat. In this sense, all heaters, whatever their type, have an efficiency close to 100%, since the heat is generated by an electrical resistance, and in this way, 100 watts of electricity are converted into about 100 watts of heat. However, this does not mean that all radiators and heaters are equally effective at transferring that heat to the air in the room (and to us), and this is where we can find differences.
If the efficiency of electric radiators is close to 100%, we must take into account that, in comparison, the use of air conditioning with a heat pump is even more efficient. A 1,000-watt appliance can provide 2,500 watts of heat, and systems with inverter technology are even more efficient, reaching 4,500 watts or more of heat for every 1,000 watts of electricity consumed. If our home has an air conditioning system with a heat pump, there is no doubt about radiators regarding their effectiveness.
If we do not have this appliance, we will have to opt for one of the different electric radiators available.
Convection heaters
Electric convection heaters are one of the most common options. Inside there is a fan and they work by heating the air it produces by passing it through electrical resistances inside, so the result is a jet of warm air. This air produces a convection current in the room: hot air rises and cold air falls, until all the air is at the same temperature.
Their main advantage is that they quickly heat a space, making them ideal for rooms that are used intermittently, such as the bathroom or kitchen. However, the moment we turn off the heater, we will notice the cold. Precisely for this reason, they have to be turned on constantly, and this can result in higher energy consumption. In addition, they make noise and tend to dry out the environment.
oil radiators
Oil radiators work by heating an internal fluid, generally thermal oil, which retains and distributes the heat generated by the electrical resistances evenly. The advantage of this system is its thermal inertia. After you turn them off, they stop consuming electricity, but they will stay warm for a long time.
They take longer to heat up, and to heat the space, than convection radiators, so the efficiency of converting electricity into heat is in the end the same, but we can make more efficient use of them, since by conserving the heat for longer, they are not on constantly, especially if we use a thermostat. This type of radiator is ideal for spaces that need to maintain constant heat for long periods of time.
Ceramic radiators
These radiators are often marketed as more efficient, but in reality their efficiency is the same as in the previous cases. The main difference is that they use ceramic elements as resistance, which have a certain thermal inertia, and retain heat after being turned off. In many cases they have silent fans that help distribute hot air in the room. They are ideal for rooms that require heating quickly, and then maintaining constant heat.
infrared radiators
Although they are seen less and less in homes, you have surely seen these radiators on the terraces of some bars and restaurants in winter. Previous heaters rely on air convection inside a closed room, something that would not make sense outside. Instead, an infrared radiator emits heat radiation that warms what is in front of it, in this case, us, in the same way that sunlight warms us.
There are now infrared panels to install in the form of a thin plate that can be placed on the wall or ceiling. They are completely silent and, whenever we are in front, they produce a greater sensation of heat than other radiators, which helps reduce energy consumption.
Radiators for each type of home and room
The home we live in also influences the consumption of each type of radiator. For example, in a well-insulated house, heat emitters or oil radiators may be more suitable, as heat is retained for longer. On the other hand, in homes with poor insulation, radiant panels can offer a greater sensation of heat. In a room with high ceilings, convection radiators will make the air near the ceiling warm, but we will feel cold, so radiant panels would also be better in this case.
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