No, Heaters Aren’t Actually Cheaper Than Turning on a Thermostat.
This winter, expensive gas bills await us . Whenever I think about turning on the thermostat, I hear my father’s voice telling me to put on another sweater instead. But when sweaters aren’t enough, I turn to my reliable, cheap, and easy-to-use space heater to cut down on central heating costs. But how much money do space heaters really save? Let’s check some numbers to see if space heaters really are the most economical option for you this winter.
The real cost of heating this winter
Heaters are definitely cheaper than central heating if you only need heat in one room at a time. But if you use heaters in multiple rooms at the same time, your electricity bill can hit hard.
According to CNET , running an average heater (1500 watts) costs about 20 cents an hour. If you run it for eight hours, that works out to about $1.60 per day. It turns out a little less than $ 50 a month – not so much.
However, that $50 is assuming you only use one heater for about eight hours. Many Americans turn on their heaters at night or leave them on in rooms that don’t have them at that time. This has consequences much more serious than huge energy bills: according to the US Department of Energy, portable heaters cause about 25,000 fires in the United States each year, resulting in about 300 deaths and about 6,000 emergency room visits. . Despite concerns about fire hazards, many heater users use them much longer than they are intended to be used.
In most regions of the country, the cost of electricity needed to heat a home exceeds the cost of gas heating to do the same job. The Energy Information Administration says in its 2022-2023 Winter Fuel Forecast report that gas-fired households in the Northeast and Midwest are projected to pay between $1,000 and $1,100 per season, while residents in the West and South — from 700 to 800 dollars. Electric heating costs are expected to be $1,400-$1,700 in all regions except the South, where they will be around $1,250.
As AirAce Heating and Cooling explains , a single heater will save you a few dollars if you only want to heat one room for a short period of time, but they are “not a permanent solution” to cutting costs in your home.
bottom line
Heaters are a quick fix, not a primary source of heat. If you need heat in more than one room, it’s better to turn on the thermostat than turn on multiple heaters. Here’s more information on how to heat your home without accidentally burning it down .