Types of gas heaters

What Is Gas Heating?

This is the process of heating indoor or outdoor places using a home gas heater. These gas heaters are fuelled by natural gas, propane, or biogas. Most people prefer natural gas heaters because they are more economical. Natural gas heating is also more efficient, durable, and convenient.

Factors Influencing Gas Heating

House heating is essential, especially in cold regions or during cold seasons. Various factors influence the type of indoor gas heater you would choose. It would be ideal to consider the space required by the gas heater you desire, whether it is unflued or flued heater. Similarly, there are other essential features such as remote controls, thermostat controls, timers, and safety functions that you should always consider before deciding on which gas heater to purchase.

Additionally, the cost is another essential factor when choosing a gas heater for your home. Here we do not mean only the cost of purchasing a gas heater; it is vital to consider the operating costs as well. While other gas heaters are very cheap to buy, they incur high costs of operation.

Home Gas Room Heaters

This type of gas heater is primarily for home use in providing warmth. They are very reliable and have a high quality. The design and installation of home gas room heaters are different from most other gas heaters. Whereas other gas heaters use a complete house ducted heating system, home gas room heaters can fit and are installed in the already existing fireplace, thus providing warmth to specific areas in the house.

Gas heaters could either be flued or portable. They exist in three major gas heating types; convection heaters, radiant gas heaters, and radiant convectors. The three types of gas heaters each have a different method of heating, venting, heat output, and the choice of natural gas or LPG. Based on fuel, there are natural gas heaters and LPG gas heaters.

Based on the methods of heating, there are convector heaters, radiant heaters, and radiant-convection heaters. On the other hand, based on venting, there are flued and unflued gas heaters. These types of gas heaters are discussed below.

Portable Or Unflued Gas Heaters

Unflued gas heaters have various advanced features. They have two programmable timers, remote controls, child lock function, thermostatic control, cut-off safety, and a strong warranty. Most people prefer unflued gas heaters because they are easy to install, easily portable, have an efficient capacity, convenient size, and weight.

Furthermore, unflued gas heaters provide a maximum power consumption of about 6.2 to 6.5 kW with either LPG or natural gas. However, you will have to be more cautious while using unflued gas heaters, especially if you have the elderly, children of tender years, or unborn children in your house. This is because unflued gas heaters produce combustion gases.

Advantages of Portable Gas Heaters

• Portable gas heaters are easier to move from one place to another. You can point them in various directions as you desire. Similarly, you can carry them along when you are moving to a new place.
• They convert almost 90% of the energy into heat, making them more efficient than electric heaters.
• Even though they are more expensive to purchase, their operation is cheaper than electric heaters.
• They provide a lot of instant heat than electric heaters.
• Most portable gas heaters have safety functions such as flame failure protection where the flame is extinguished, a tilt switch in case of the heater tips, etc.

Disadvantages of Portable Gas Heaters

• Since they do not have a flue, it is dangerous and not recommended to use portable heaters in bathrooms, bedrooms, small rooms, or poorly ventilated rooms.
• High chance of emitting combustion gases back into your room due to lack of a flue.
• They are highly likely to cause mould on your walls if your room is poorly ventilated due to water vapour produced during the combustion process.
• Portable gas heaters produce small amounts of Carbon Monoxide and Nitrous Oxides. These gases could cause health problems such as respiratory problems, especially in children.

Types Of Unflued Gas Heaters

Gas Radiant Heaters

Most people prefer gas radiant heaters as they are more convenient. Gas radiant heaters provide a lot of warmth in the desired indoor areas. They exist in both large and small sizes, making them suitable for wide uses. Additionally, radiant gas heaters are easy to install, require no electrical connection, and are cost-effective.

However, radiant gas heaters have an odd heat distribution since a lot of heat is only felt directly in front of the heater. Similarly, they have an unpleasant design.

Gas Convector Heaters

Gas convector heaters, also known as space heaters, are more efficient in air or convection movement places. Their operation involves the incorporation of both a fan and a gas burner for even distribution of heat. Gas convector heaters have a low emission design, electronic thermostatic controls, remote controls, and an attractive look. However, this type of gas heater is more expensive than other types of gas heaters.

Subcategories Of Gas Heaters

Under these major types of gas heaters, there are various subcategories of gas heaters. These subcategories have specific places of operation and methodology of heat delivery. They include:

Vent-Free Heaters

They exist in liquid propane, natural gas, and dual-fuel modes of heaters. They are thought to be the most efficient auxiliary gas heaters. Vent-free gas heaters cover an area of about 200 to 1200 square feet. Vent-free gas heaters have varieties such as blue flame heaters, radiant heaters, or infrared heaters.

Blue Flame Heaters

Blue flame heaters have a working strategy of warming only the air around its installation area and not the items around it. They are more energy-efficient and effective for insulated areas. Blue flame gas heaters have a blower for easier and effective distribution of warmth throughout the space. They operate on 99.9% efficiency and are more cost-effective.

Radiant or Infrared Heaters

Radiant heaters involve the use of electromagnetic radiation to provide heat. As opposed to blue flame heaters, they primarily heat the items around them and not the air. This allows them to deliver heat quicker than blue flame heaters. However, radiant heaters would require you to be more cautious to provide extra safety for your children, furniture, and other assets.

Vented Heaters

These are machines capable of operating on either liquid propane fuel or natural gas. They offer indoor provision of heat in areas of about 300 to 3000 square feet. Vented heaters exist as space heaters, wall heaters, etc. They are also more expensive than the other subcategories of gas heaters.

Wall Heaters

These are a variety of vented gas heaters. Their installation is done between the room’s drywall and the studs of the wall. They operate by withdrawing cool air from the bottom, heating the air, and delivering it to the top. Wall heaters are efficient for apartments, tiny houses, or home additions.

Fixed Or Flued Gas Heaters

Flued gas heaters deliver warmth without the emission of combustion gases. Primarily they are fixed in specific areas in the house where heat is required. Flued gas heaters exist in balanced direct vent flue models and flue models. However, they feature 90-degree bends and are more expensive. Similarly, if you desire gas heaters with a pleasant design and more functionality, it would be best to go for the powered flued gas heaters.

Most people have always wondered whether one requires a chimney to use flued gas heaters; the answer is that it is not necessary. Most flued gas heaters are fixed into existing fireplaces which have chimneys to accommodate the flue. However, if you desire to use the heater in any other place in the house, it would help to use a firebox in incorporating the flue.

Advantages of Flued Gas Heaters

• They have thermostats that enable you to set the desired temperature.
• They have remote controls that enable you to control the temperature and fan speeds. Some models of flued gas heaters have wired and wireless connections allowing you to extend them to longer distances.
• Some have programmable timers. These enable you to program the heater to turn on and off as you desire, facilitating energy saving.
• For higher safety precautions, some models of flued gas heaters have child lock functions.
• Some models of flued gas heaters come with an LPG conversion kit that enables you to operate the heater in regions without natural gas. However, it would help if you were more cautious about this option since it has higher operations costs.
• Most flued gas heaters models come with a filter-clean warning function. This feature allows you to know when and how frequently you need to clean your heater.

Powered Flued Gas Heaters

These have power-driven flues. Powered flued gas heaters offer comprehensive installation options and an even heat distribution throughout the desired area. Moreover, powered flued gas heaters have advanced features such as remote controls, electronic thermostat controls, timers, and safety functions.

However, powered flued gas heaters are more expensive, and their installation requires a gas filter.

Do Gas Heaters Cause Health Problems?

The answer is yes. Research has indicated that gas heaters contribute to high rates of asthma and other respiratory problems, especially in children. During the combustion process, gas heaters release small amounts of dangerous gases such as Carbon Monoxide, Nitrous Oxides, and other fine particles.

The Australian Government requires all gas heaters to meet certain strict emission standards to minimise the number of contaminants produced during combustion. However, few traces of contaminants are still released during combustion. Faulty gas heaters produce even more pollutants.

Moreover, research has indicated that unflued gas heaters contribute even more to asthma in children. Their emissions are attributed to increased symptoms in children that already have asthma. Unflued gas heaters also have high risks of acute respiratory diseases.

Consequently, flued gas heaters have less risk than unflued gas heaters. However, they can also emit small amounts of contaminants in the inside air, thus having no chances of 100% safety.

When In Doubt Contact The Professionals

Gas heaters are more convenient, economical, and preferred than electrical heaters. There are various options for home gas heaters. These depend on the source of fuel, whether natural gas, LPG (Propane or Butane), or biogas. The choice of a home gas heater depends on the type of gas heater, the subcategory under the chosen gas heater, and the size of the space required by the selected gas heater.

Other factors include the kW output of the gas heater, the physical appearance and design, the climatic region you reside in, and the volume of the area you desire to heat. Another essential consideration when choosing a home gas heater type is the cost, including purchasing and operational costs.

However, if this still seems like a red area for you and you are not confident in the choice you will make, you can always contact a professional to receive a hassle-free quote.