• Space Heaterwarming hands image by Brett Mulcahy from Fotolia.com
  
  Using space heaters is an energy efficient alternative to heat a specific area or room. Electric heaters can warm an entire room. They are light, portable and energy efficient. The type of space heater depends on the size of room to be heated, the presence of children in a home (choose a heater that will not catch fire if tipped over), concerns about energy efficiency and extra features, like timers and auto shut off switches.
  
  

Baseboard Heaters

• Baseboard heaters are primarily used in bedrooms near windows with drafts. These make energy efficient use of window drafts to push heated air into a room. The heated air floats up to combine with the cool draft, pushing it into the room. Baseboard heaters heat the air directly above them and are dangerous if tipped over. Most have auto shut off switches that shut the heater off if it is tipped over. Never place a baseboard heater near flammable objects or draperies.
  
  

Convection Heaters

• Convection heaters use heated coils with fans to blow hot air into a room. They have thermostats to keep the air at a particular temperature and bring a room to a certain temperature rapidly. Convection heaters should not be left unattended or used around children. If they are knocked over or left near flammable objects, the red-hot coils will ignite any flammable objects rapidly. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, "they can be more efficient when using a room for a short period because they avoid the energy needed to heat the entire room by instead directly heating the occupant of the room and the occupant's immediate surroundings."
  
  

Oil-Filled Heaters

• Oil-filled heaters have sealed reservoirs filled with special oil. The oil is heated and flows through radiator coils that warm the air. They look like steam radiators and will stay warm long after the oil has cooled. These take a longer time to heat a room, but they are a safer option around kids and less of fire hazard because they are sealed. These can be left on all night. They come with thermostats that regulate the temperature. According to the Oil Filled Radiator.org, "since the oil is only warmed with the oil filled radiator heaters you never have to worry about it burning. In addition, it never needs to be replaced or refilled. This makes the choice of oil filled radiators an efficient decision."
  
  

Ceramic Heaters

• As the name would imply, ceramic heaters use a ceramic disk element that heats a room with radiant heat. These have a low fire risk and are good for small rooms. They are slow to heat up and are not as easily temperature controlled as other heaters. They are small, but produce a large amount of heat. According to a CBS News Early Show Guide to Space Heaters, "these heaters tend to be more energy efficient and safer than many heaters, so even though they heat up quickly, their plastic casings stay cool."