Halogen heaters are among the common types of heaters in the current age. These heaters come with both positives and negatives. So, you should be sure of what you will be getting when you purchase one of these heaters.
The cost of running a halogen heater is a point of concern for many people. Generally, the energy consumption of a halogen heater will be directly related to the power output. Also, how long you run the heater will determine how much you would be paying for the energy bills in the long run.
So the question is, are halogen heaters expensive to run? Let’s try answering that question in this article.
Related Reasons
First off, halogen heaters are mostly found in pub gardens, and they work by radiating heat directly onto objects. They do not rely on convection to spear the warmth around the room like other heaters. Since the heat will be radiated directly onto the objects, it means that these heaters will work faster than the regular heater.
They also will be more efficient in keeping the room warm. So in simple terms, it is cheaper to run a halogen heater. However, that is not information to keep you going. While it might be cheaper to run these units, you might end up spending a lot of money based on how you use it.
Generally, halogen heaters come with a compact and highly portable design. Nevertheless, they might not be as efficient as such when they are set to heat a large space. Above all, they come at a very affordable price.
How The Cost Of Running A Halogen Heater Add Up
The central heating is one factor that will affect how a halogen heater runs. They don’t come with the central heating system. Instead, all you have to do is turn it on or off and the heat will radiate directly. When you turn the halogen heater off, the direct heat radiation will stop.
In terms of efficiency, halogen heaters might not get a 100% score. Rather, they are at a 50-50. They can be efficient if you are using them to heat a specific room or a small area in the house. But if you want it to heat the entire house, be prepared for some disappointment because they will not be as efficient as such in that scenario.
To help you understand how much you’d spend when running a halogen heater, let’s break it down for you.
So, you would be spending around 18 pence an hour if you are running a 1200W halogen heater.
What Makes It Easy to Calculate the Costs?
Generally, most electric heating systems will use thermostatic controls to run. This includes electric radiators, storage heaters, and even the infrared panels. The thermostatic controls will automatically switch off at a specific point if they heat the room to a specific temperature.
These units will draw power for a specific time as they run throughout the day. The amount of power that they use will depend on the quality of the unit itself as well as the insulation of the home.
But on the contrary, halogen heaters don’t work like that. They don’t have the thermostatic controls. Since they are non-thermostatic, it means that they will not automatically control power on their own. So, they will start drawing power as soon as you switch them on. But the difference here is that the halogen heaters will not stop drawing heat until you switch them off.
Don’t forget that different halogen heaters will come with different features and specifications. As a result, you will end up paying a different amount of money for varied halogen heaters.
They don’t have any thermostat to monitor the room temperature. One reason for this is that halogen heaters are meant for open outdoor space. The halogen heater would have a hard time monitoring the heat level of the entire outdoor space in the garden.
By the way, here is how you should calculate your halogen heater running costs;
- Get the kW power output of the heater
- Get the energy price set by your electricity provider per kilowatt-hour
- Have an estimated number of hours that you expect to use the heater
So, if you get a 2.5kW garden heater, and you expect to run if for around 5 hours, here is how you would calculate;
2.5 x 5 = 12.5 kWh
But that’s not the cost. Assuming that you pay an electricity tariff of 13 pence per kilowatt-hour, here is what you would end up paying for the heater if it runs for 5 hours;
12.5 x 13 = 162.5p
This is equal to 1.625 pounds or around 2.1 dollars. That would be the cost of running the 2.5kW halogen heater for five hours.
So the longer you run the heater, the more money you would spend on the energy bills. Another thing that will make the final cost vary is the tariff that you choose. If you are on a cheaper tariff, your electricity bill will be lower.
How Can You Save The Running Costs of a Halogen Heater?
There are various tips that you can apply to help you save on the running costs of a halogen heater. Here are some tips to follow;
- Reduce the running time. If you are not using the halogen heater, then you don’t have to keep it running. You might find that you leave the porch where the heater is set, for around 15 to 30 minutes. When you calculate the total time, you will find that the heater is running a waste. So, switch it off when not in use.
- Get a controllable unit. Since these heaters don’t have an auto-switch off the system, it is wise to choose a unit that can be controlled on how the run.
- Choose a smaller unit that doesn’t consume a lot of energy.
Choosing the right halogen heater can help you save a lot of money in the long run. Above all, make sure you follow the proper safety tips when working with the halogen heater.
