If you live in the northern United States, you have to worry about heating your home each winter.
As gas prices skyrocket, many homeowners and renters alike worry about finding an affordable alternative.
When it costs upwards of 400 dollars to heat a small two-bedroom apartment, you have every right to be concerned about what your heating bills might be during a very cold winter.
Some people like to turn their heat down, and turn on a space heater.
In many cases, they will help heat a room or two for a lot less than your gas company.
It generally seems that the coldest room in most houses during the winter is the bathroom.
Porcelain bathtubs, linoleum or tile floors, and a generally more humid environment than the rest of the house can cause the bathroom to feel several degrees colder even when the rest of the house is reasonably warm.
By putting a small portable heater in the bathroom you can provide instant heat when you need it most.
Portable space heaters aren't just for fun and games, of course; you can also use them in your shop, garage, or workplace to give you a little extra heat when and where you need it.
Shops are usually large enough that trying to heat them with a central heating unit is a nightmare, since most of your heat will end up rising to the ceiling while leaving you and anyone else with you in a chill.
Portable heaters generally have directed heat, and you can even buy heaters with larger blowers on them that will send quite a bit of heat to exactly where you want it.
Instead of having to try and keep the entire shop or garage warm, you can focus only on the specific parts of it that you're using; if you move to another part of the shop, then you can move the heaters so that they're warming your new location instead.
While a space heater is great, you have to be careful about what kind you buy.
I know a few people who use a kerosene space heater, and I don't know how they stand it.
The smell is overwhelming, even if the heater does work well.
You have to have plenty of ventilation when using kerosene, and having open windows in the winter kind of defeats the purpose of having a space heater.
Those with pets and children should definitely think twice before getting a space heater that runs on kerosene.
A better option for a space heater might be the kind that runs on electric.
You can find all kinds of model that simply plug into your wall.
The cost to run these on electric is far less than what natural gas will cost you, and they are generally safer than the kerosene type of space heater.
If you look around, you should be able to find all types of space heaters, and you can ask a salesperson about what might work best for you and the size of your home.
Safety should always be a concern when you use a space heater.
These should never be run when no one is home, or when no one is in the room.
They are probably not a good idea for overnight use, as they are a fire hazard.
Even the best models might cause you problems.
Your space heater should be kept away from furniture and other fabrics, papers and magazines, and clothing.
If you read the instructions on your model, it should tell you to keep the area around your heater clear, and will usually say how many feet of leeway you need to provide.
They may be great to help save you money, but they aren't affective if you don't use them correctly and safely.