Types of gas heaters

What are the different gas heaters?

Gas heaters are becoming increasingly popular due to their efficiency and other benefits. There are many different models of gas heaters that you can buy, each with its own set of pros and cons. Knowing how to choose the correct one for your home is important because not all gas heaters are created equally.

If you’re looking for a heater that provides quick heating, consider a convector or radiant heater. If you mostly need it for the winter but need an occasional boost during the summer months, then a convector-convective-radiant (CCR) heater is what you should be looking at.

If your home isn’t well insulated and it’s difficult to keep warm in the winter without the help of a working heater, then an infrared (IR) electric space heater would be best.

Split system

A split system is classified as a heating and cooling system which has an outdoor and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit is situated outside your home, while the indoor unit sits in your living room or bedroom, wherever you feel most comfortable.

The advantages of using a split system are that it can be energy-efficient, quiet, with high performance.

Split systems are energy-efficient because they have a high capacity for heat absorption. This means that the outdoor units do not require as much electricity to operate as compared to other heating systems.

Split systems are quieter than other heating systems due to less noise produced by the outdoor units. As well as being more efficient at handling heat absorption, they are also more efficient at dissipating heat during operation, meaning less noise.

Unflued gas heater

Unflued natural gas heaters burn gas for heat, but they don’t have a flue to carry exhaust gases outside of the home.

Unflued gas burners are available as large, separate units that will be plugged into a gas outlet (either gas tanks or natural gas) or use an LPG gasoline tank (purchased from your local gas station).

Because it’s an unflued gas burner, it uses the oxygen from the space for combustion and blows exhaust gas straight out the front of the heater into the room.

Pros of unflued gas heating

Low cost to buy

That is why they’re attractive to most people. They are, however, expensive in the long run. Most institutions and the government advocate for a transportable space heater if you can’t afford a fast-heating option.

It’s recommended that its usage be within a garage or shed – away from young children, furniture, animals, and airtight, well-insulated rooms.

Aesthetics

Aesthetics is all about style, and most unflued heaters are unattractive, large, and bulky with heavy metal grills. Some unflued gas burners are more fashionable than others – these are more costly and can be more suited to big open areas, for example, bars and restaurants.

Cons of unflued gas heating

Air pollutants

Air pollutants are a serious concern when it comes to using unflued gas heaters. As a result of combustion, they’ll produce nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide gas, which are damaging to your health.

Mould

Another danger related to gas burners includes indirect effects like vapour which will increase the growth of mould and dust mites.

Accidents waiting to happen

Because unflued gas heaters don’t have a flue to carry the combustion materials away, they need an open front, and also the flame will be exposed. Obviously, for young children and animals, this is often not an appropriate heating option.

Leaking gas

Homes are designed to be airtight with thick insulation and little flow of air from the outside. This is often to make certain the house retains heat and limits moisture. However, if you’re using an unflued, open-fronted, or natural vent gas heater, oxygen is depleted over time, which might cause problems with combustion.

This means the gas cannot burn completely with the restricted oxygen available within the area and instead keeps leaking gas. This is very true with an unflued gas jet that uses an LPG bottle because it’s controlled manually.

However, in some cases with an open-fronted gas fire, it’ll have systems in place to ensure the gas is disabled if the ignition is unsuccessful.

Convector heater

Convector heaters heat the air then transfer heat throughout that space to warm up you and physical items. For instance, your gas boiler central heating system is an excellent example of a convection-based system.

Once you turn on your heating, the radiators warm up because the water that circulates within the system gets hotter. After 15-20mins, you can feel the area getting hotter as that heat is distributed from the top area of the radiator to the air and then into the room as the air circulates.

Warm air rises and gets rapt into cold spaces like the centre of the space, where it cools, sinks, and circulates back up once more because the steel radiator warms it up. Eventually, the complete volume of air warms up, which provides you the heat that you simply feel.

Limitations of convection heating

Firstly, it depends on the movement of air, and though the method of heating itself, avoiding cold spots is still unbelievably difficult. So, you tend not to see even temperature distribution throughout the space when using convection heaters.

Secondly, keeping the heat in the air isn’t very stable. Imagine spending 30 minutes heating the temperature in the room up to 21 degrees centigrade, only for somebody to briefly open the door. Lots of that heat can escape, meaning your convection heater will need to replace it.

Radiant heater

Radiant heaters are long-lasting and energy-efficient. Moreover, they are also portable and easy to use. A radiant heater is a type of electric heater that produces heat by converting electricity into infrared radiant energy. They are available in copious sizes, shapes, and power outputs.

Radiant heaters can be either convective or conductive. The former blows heated air while the latter heats objects directly with the help of infrared radiation. Radiant heaters work by providing warmth to human bodies through infrared rays that are not visible to the naked eye.

However, they can be felt when you touch the object that emits them, such as a ceramic tile floor or quartz wall panelling. This warmth makes it easier for us to keep ourselves warm without having to resort to other sources of heating like central heating systems or electric blankets.

Portable gas heater

Portable gas heaters are the ideal solutions for warming up houses and offices while saving you some money when it comes to paying bills. They come in different designs and colours for you to select.

If you go for the simple radiant model that is available in big and small designs, you will experience high heat production. Moreover, your home or workplace will appear cosy when it is cold.

Flued gas fireplace

Now, let’s discuss flued gas fireplaces. Flued gas fireplaces burn gas for heat. However, they need a flue that carries the exhaust gases off from the fireplace. You’ll be able to get both open-fronted and glass-fronted flued gas heaters.

Flued gas fireplaces use both gas and LPG. The LPG tanks for these gas fires should be installed befittingly by a registered gas fitter.

Open-fronted vs. glass-fronted

Open fronted flued gas fireplaces use oxygen from the area for combustion and carry the exhaust gases away. Whereas these fireplaces are easier on the number of exhaust gases discharged into the area, there is still an exchange linking the exhaust gases and the room air.

Glass-fronted flued gas heaters have a special type of flue that pulls oxygen in from outside of the house for combustion. This system means that there is no exchange between exhaust gases and the room air. Both open-fronted and glass-fronted are considerably safer gas fireplaces in terms of exhaust exposure.

However, if you’re looking for the healthiest choice, it’s better to go for a glass-fronted fireplace. Open fronted flued gas fireplaces also are a lot less efficient than glass-fronted ones. If you decide to go with a glass-fronted gas heater, this will be kinder on your gas bill and also the environment.

But you may find that these fireplaces are usually more expensive. This is often where it is good to weigh up the pros and cons of paying extra money for a heating system that is more economical and healthier for your home.

What is a wall-mounted unit?

Wall-mounted units are the most prevalent type of heater, and they come with a variety of features. Wall-mounted heaters are the most common type on the market. They come in two types: top-mount and under-counter. Top mount models sit on top of the counter surface while under-counter models are installed under it.

Health issues and cold spots

The cold weather usually brings with it a host of problems for the health and well-being of you and your family. Modern heating methods using central heating systems and steel radiators contribute to the problems in your home.

The modern working family isn’t present within their home throughout the day as folks are out operating and kids are away at school or college.

Reducing gas heating costs

To keep your heating bills economical, you set your timer to switch on early in the morning before your alarm goes off, so you’ll be able to get up to a warm house, then it switches off once more just before you all vacate the house to go to work or school. In the evening, you’ve got the timer set to switch on prior to the first family member returning home and then set to switch off just before you head to bed.

Choosing the right type of gas heater

Gas heaters are probably one of the most popular types of heating systems in indoor residential settings. Two major differences between these systems is the type of fuel they use to generate heat (gas or electric) and whether they are portable or fixed (flued/unflued).

Some people would argue that gas heaters are more environmentally friendly and offer several benefits over electric ones, such as:

• Easier installation
• Cleaner operation
• More efficient heating with less electricity used
• No need for an electrical circuit to run power to the area where you want to install it (although this is not always true)
• Always ready when needed (no need for a power supply)

However, one disadvantage that comes with gas heaters is you might have aesthetic issues such as pipes.

Ask the licensed professionals

The market offers a wide variety of heaters to select from. You need to determine your house’s specific requirements and the preferred fuel source. Some people go for gas heaters, which are usually fuelled by liquid propane or natural gas. If this sounds far too confusing for you, then you can always get in touch with a licensed professional to assist you through the process.