convection heaters vs fan forced heaters

Convection Heaters vs. Fan-Forced Heaters – Which is right for you?

4 min read
With so many energy efficient electric heaters, a common question is whether to buy a fan-forced heater or convection heater. We are here to help make that decision easier.

Electric Heaters are one of the cleanest, most energy efficient heating options on the market, converting 100% of the inputted energy into heat. But with so many different options, it can be hard to choose which heaters are right for your space.

A common question people come up against when installing electric heat into their space, is whether they should buy a fan-forced heater or convection heater. We are here to help make that decision easier.

Fan-forced Heaters

Fan-forced heaters move air over a heating element and then circulate the heat into the room. Because fan-forced heaters use a fan to move the heated air, they are able to heat a room quickly and take up less space than convection heaters.

This makes them ideal for entryways, bathrooms, and utility spaces where short bursts of heat are needed and space is usually at a premium. While the fan noise is fairly minimal, it is a factor when compared to silent convection heaters. This is another reason why they are better in utility areas, rather than primary living spaces.

Also, because fan forced heaters can heat up a space quickly, they are great additions to rooms that are not used all of the time such as garages, workshops, laundry rooms, and bedrooms. Simply turn up the thermostat when entering the laundry room or bedroom, and the desired temperature can be quickly achieved.

Fan-forced heater in office

Convection Heaters

Convection heaters quietly circulate heat throughout the room by drawing cool air in at the bottom and creating a current of warm air. The cooler air that is displaced downwards then heats up and the process continues, giving you a warm space.

Because these types of heaters use the natural convection process, they operate silently, making them great for living and sleeping areas. They also have no moving parts, making them virtually maintenance free.

Traditional convection heaters, typically electric baseboards heaters, do not heat a room as quickly as fan-forced heaters, however, advancements in technologies are closing this gap.

Dimplex Convector Baseboards, for example, produce up to 40% faster airflow and are up to 42% shorter than a conventional baseboard. This impressive performance and compact design truly sets them apart and will use less wall space than other baseboards.

convection heaters in living room

Warm Up Your Home with Dimplex Electric Heating 

Both fan and convection electric heaters are considered one of the safest home heating options on the market because of their simplicity and the fact that they use no combustion.

Ultimately, the type of heating you decide on will be based on your preferences and needs. Both fan-forced and convection heaters, provide enough heat to ensure you are kept comfortable but other factors, such as size, safety, noise, and energy consumption may hold greater importance depending on your situation.

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