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Heaters can also have an unexpected psychological effect, Dr. Wen says. His research suggests that having “perceived control” over temperature, such as by a nearby radiator, can increase your “thermal acceptability” or the temperature range in which you feel comfortable.
In other words, when used in a place where you don’t control the heat, like a shared office or apartment building with a central thermostat, just knowing you can turn on a heater can make you feel better. make it more tolerant of cooler temperatures.
Having said that, be careful. Although safer than in previous decades, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that heaters are involved in approximately 1,700 fires and 80 deaths each year. To reduce these risks, the group suggests keeping heaters three feet from flammable items, plugging them directly into walls, and turning them off before bed.
If you still don’t know what to do, you shouldn’t be losing too much sleep, said Jennifer Amann, director of the buildings program at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a nonprofit research organization.
Similar to Dr Bailis’ thoughts on the fireplace versus patio heater debate, Ms Amann said other changes, such as buying LED bulbs, adding insulation, and regularly changing your air filter, could make a bigger difference over time than running or not running a heater.
Dr Wen also stressed the importance of implementing energy efficiency measures, regardless of the heating method chosen. Since homes lose 25-30% of their heat through windows, she said it was imperative to take measures such as weatherstripping, plastic wrap and hanging blinds or curtains.
“Otherwise,” she said, “you’re just efficiently generating heat that comes out the window.”
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