Zoning your home keeps you from heating unoccupied rooms. Chances are that your home’s central heating system is constantly blowing hot air throughout your entire home even when you’re only using a few rooms.
By forcing your HVAC system to do all the work, you’re wasting money on heating rooms you don’t use. Zoning your space with space heaters is an affordable way to keep your energy bills low while remaining cozy and comfortable.
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Understanding Heating Zoning
The basic idea behind zoning is simple. Instead of heating your entire home, focus your efforts on the rooms you actually spend time in. Let’s look at a typical day. You probably spend your mornings in the kitchen cooking breakfast.
You probably work from a home office during the day. Then, you spend your evenings and nights in bed. Why not focus your heating energy in these rooms instead of trying to keep your whole house at one temperature?
Space heaters allow you to do just that. Simply place your space heater where you need the extra heat, then turn it off when you leave the room. With space heaters, you have complete control.
Do Space Heaters Really Save That Much Money?
Yes. The average household spends around 45% of its annual utility bills on heating costs during the winter. Heating represents such a large chunk of your bill that even small decreases will make an impact.
For example, if you lower your central heating thermostat by 10 degrees and use space heaters to warm up your occupied rooms, you can decrease your heating bill by about 10%. If you currently pay $1,200 per year on heating, that’s $120 back in your pocket. That means a good space heater will pay for itself in just one winter.
The Benefits of Space Heaters over Central Heating
Central heating systems pump hot air throughout your whole home. This seems like a convenient way to heat your house, but it actually costs you money in a few ways.
First, you’re paying to heat empty rooms like hallways, guest rooms, and storage rooms. Second, heat rises and many homes lose a lot of heat through their attics. You’re essentially paying to make up for the heat you lose.
Space heaters allow you to avoid these pitfalls. First, since they allow you to apply heat exactly where you need it, you don’t lose heat while it travels through your air ducts.
Second, most modern space heaters heat up to comfortable temperatures faster than whole-house heating systems. You won’t have to wait as long for heat, which means you’ll use less energy overall while staying just as warm.
Pick the Right Space Heater For You
Not all space heaters are created equal. There are three different types of space heaters on the market.
The quickest space heaters to heat up are ceramic heaters. They’re also most effective in smaller rooms and spaces. Ceramic heaters are lightweight and easy to move around. If you want to move around with your heater throughout the day, pick a ceramic space heater.
Oil filled radiators take the longest to heat up. However, they also hold heat the longest. For this reason, they’re ideal for bedrooms where you want to keep a heater on all night. These heaters are also the quietest of all the heater types.
Lastly, there are infrared heaters. These heaters heat up everything they touch instead of just heating the air around them. This allows them to produce heat right away and they work best in rooms that tend to have drafts or high ceilings.
Placing Your Heater for Maximum Effectiveness
Not only does the type of heater you choose matter, but where you place it makes a difference as well. Always keep your space heater at least three feet away from furniture, curtains, and bedding. However, you also don’t want to waste all that heat by placing it right in a corner.
Ideally, you want to place your heater a few feet away from where you spend most of your time. For example, if you spend a lot of time at your desk, place the heater a few feet away facing toward you. You should feel warm without having to turn it up too high. At night, place your heater in your bedroom away from your bed but where it can help heat the rest of the room.
Creating Heating Zones Throughout the Day
Your zoning strategy may change from hour to hour. When you first wake up, you may only need your space heater in the bathroom and kitchen. As a result, you can leave your thermostat low and plug your space heater in where you need it.
When you’re working, you may want to focus your heating on your home office or wherever you spend most of your time at home. Remember, most people are in the same place for 6-8 hours each day. As such, you’ll save the most money by only heating that one space. Be sure to turn off all other space heaters.
Once you’re done working for the day, you can start heating your living room or family room. Before bed, move your space heater to your bedroom(s). By zoning your home for different times of the day, you’ll heat only what you need to be heated.
Use Space Heaters in Addition to Your Current System
Depending on how much space you have to heat, you may not need to turn off your central heater. Instead, you can use your space heater in conjunction with your central heating system.
To save money, set your thermostat to 60-62 degrees. That way, your heater will still run enough to prevent your pipes from freezing and keep the humidity in your home at a good level.
From there, use your space heaters to bring your room temperature up to your desired comfort level of 68-72 degrees. By using your central heater sparingly and only for background heating, you’ll save the most money.
Safety Tips to Avoid Wasting Money
If you don’t use your space heater carefully, you won’t see any savings. Never use an extension cord for your space heater. Plug it directly into the wall whenever possible. Always turn your space heater off if you leave the room or when you go to sleep (unless it’s one of the types designed for overnight use).
Opt for space heaters with automatic shut-off features. These heaters turn off if they tip over or overheat. While these features may cost you a few extra dollars, they can save you a lot of money in wasted energy. Not only that, but they can keep your home and family safe.
Keep tabs on your utility bills to make sure your new space heaters are saving you money. Many utility companies offer access to an online portal that breaks down your monthly usage. You can even compare yourself to your usage from previous years. If you aren’t seeing the savings you want, reevaluate your strategy. Lower your thermostat even more or make sure you’re turning off your space heaters when you leave a room.
Case Study: Saved Money Heating Less This Winter with Space Heater Zoning
Our neighbor lives in a three-bedroom semi-detached house with his wife and kids. Every winter he noticed their energy bills creeping higher, even though their home and habits stayed the same. They had only ever used two rooms during the day, so heating their whole house seemed wasteful.
Their furnace would run all day long to maintain comfort in bedrooms, hallways, the spare room, and storage rooms. Rooms they weren’t using would be heated for hours each day without providing any benefit.
They started paying attention to their heating usage and tried zoning their home with space heaters. HVAC Online Heater Shop told us that during the day they kept their thermostat set to 61°F (16°C) for ambient heat and used a ceramic heater in the kitchen in the mornings.
While working in their home office, they used a different space heater to stay comfortable. In the evening they moved the space heater into the living room and later into the bedroom with an oil-filled radiator.
After one whole winter of zoning with space heaters, their heating costs went down by just over 12% compared to the previous year. The family felt like their house was just as comfortable as before, but their heating was actually serving a purpose.
The biggest changes were made by not heating rooms that went unused and turning the heaters off when they weren’t in the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is zoning in relation to space heaters?
Zoning refers to the practice of only heating your living spaces instead of your entire home. Space heaters allow you to easily zone your home by providing additional heat only where and when you need it.
Will using space heaters save me money?
Space heaters can help lower your energy bills if you use them wisely. By turning down your main thermostat and using space heaters to heat occupied rooms, you reduce your total heating load which can translate to savings on winter energy bills.
Are space heaters cheaper to run than my furnace?
Space heaters should not be used in place of your furnace. Instead, use your furnace or heat pump to maintain a low level of comfort while using space heaters to stay cozy. This combination tends to be the most economical option.
Which space heater should I buy to zone my home?
Different space heaters work best in different rooms. Ceramic space heaters are perfect for heating small areas that you use frequently. Oil-filled radiators are ideal for bedrooms where you need steady heat for longer periods. Infrared panels are great for cold, drafty rooms or rooms with high ceilings.
How should I position my space heater?
You should position your space heater a few feet away from where you’ll be and angle it toward you. Make sure it’s not touching any furniture, curtains, or bedding and try not to put it in a corner.
Can I leave my space heater on all day?
As long as you use your space heater responsibly you should be fine leaving it on all day. Look for space heaters with features like tip-over protection and automatic turn off switches. Always plug them directly into a wall outlet and turn them off when you leave the room.
How will I know if I’m saving money by zoning my home?
Most utility companies have online accounts you can sign up for to monitor your energy consumption. You can compare your usage to previous years to see if you’re saving money. If you’re not saving as much as you thought you were, try lowering your thermostat a few more degrees or becoming stricter with your zoning.