Four Disadvantages of Convection Heaters
Drafts
Drafts present the first disadvantage of convection heaters. These heaters shouldn’t be placed near windows or other areas where drafts are likely to occur. This is due to the fact that the rising hot air current will combine with the colder air and circulate it around the room. Radiant heaters don’t produce moving currents that heat the air, so they aren’t susceptible to drafts. In addition to being susceptible to drafts, these drafts are also susceptible to overheating.
Overheating
Overheating is also a disadvantage of convection heaters. Some heaters utilize a fan to move the air into the room. If the fan ever fails, the heater will overheat. This is the main reason convection heaters should never be made of plastic because the overheating could cause the plastic to melt down. You should always use all-metal convection heaters. You could also buy a model that comes with sensors that will detect overheating and shut down the heater.
Objects
You always have to be careful about objects placed near convection heaters. These objects could block the airflow and cause the heater to become too hot. You especially need to make sure that there are no objects above the heater because this is the main direction that convection heaters produce heat. While objects can block the airflow of these heaters, you will also experience more energy loss with this variety.
Energy Loss
Another disadvantage of convection heaters is the amount of energy loss they experience. The heat from radiant heaters remains at floor level instead of rising to the ceiling. This means that the ceiling temperature will be cooler so there won’t be a lot of heat loss. The heat from convection heaters rises straight to the ceiling, so more energy is lost.
These are some of the disadvantages of convection heaters. The room will feel drafty if you place these heaters near windows or other areas where drafts are likely to occur. Convection heaters are also susceptible to overheating if the fan fails. You also need to be careful about the objects that are placed near the heater because they could block the airflow and also cause overheating.
