During the winter months it can get very cold in some areas of the country. During these times it can be a real life safer to have a heater ready to use at a moments notice. However traditional electric heaters have a few shortcomings and dangers associated with them. This is why oil filled radiators are a good alternate choice for your winter heating needs.
Oil filled radiators have several advantages over normal heaters that make them safer, and more efficient. The main complaint about electric heaters is that many don’t feel safe leaving them on at night. Electric heaters consume a great amount of electricity, and cheaper models are prone to short circuiting. This can lead to damaged wiring and in some cases electrical fires.
Unlike standard electrical heaters, oil radiator heaters do not have such a high risk of causing electrical damage. While they do still need to be plugged into a wall to draw power, the amount is only about one fourth of what a typical electric heater would use. The reason for this is the heating method the unit uses. The oil in the radiator is slowly heated to the desired temperature, and then the heating unit shuts off.
The oil is then circulated throughout the unit and over aluminum fins. These fins heat the air that moves over them and cool the oil as they cool. This will eventually cool the oil to a point where the heating unit turns back on. This method is much safer than an electric heater. Since there are no moving parts to take care of maintenance is rarely required.
The only thing you need to do is check the oil levels from time to time, keep it filled to the proper level, and clean off the unit. Most oil filled radiators have a cut of switch for overheating, electrical overload, and tip over accidents. This makes them very safe to leave running even at night. The way they heat the room also has a few other advantages.
Mainly the air in the room is not dried out. Everyone who has used an electric heater knows that they dry out the air. Since the oil filled radiator heats liquid rather than heating elements the air isn’t dried out. This allows you to breathe easy at night quite literally.
Due to the fact that the radiator doesn’t use a fan the air is heated via convection. The better airflow in your room, the faster the room will warm. In most cases however this type of heater outperformed its electric counterpart in heating capacity, and quickness. Best of all the amount of heat you need can be custom set. You can keep your office or room at 65 while others keep theirs warmer.
Oil filled radiators are becoming more common as people are trying to save on energy costs and heating. Since they do not require as much power they save on the electric bill, and the oil is never burned or used up. It can occasionally dry out but other than this small amount you will never need to replace it. Remember to leave plenty of space around the radiator though, common sense still applies here.