Oil filled radiator or convection - safety question

[danroach]

Hello all.

I've a small studio/workshop that isn't centrally heated yet needs to be heated to keep the frost at bay.

I've mains power in there and am thinking about putting either a convection heater or oil filled rad in the space. I know you can get both with thermostats to stave off frosts but wondered which would be the safest in terms of long term use within a confined space? My main concern is that a convection heater may pose more of a fire hazard (but I may be mistaken).

Any advice/guidance would be very welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Dan

 

[Adam_151]

How about a few tube heaters with guards if its just to stop the place freezing totally?

They won't get the place warm, more just take the edge off the chill, but that sounds like what you want?

 

[EFLImpudence]

I would prefer oil-filled over convection.

They work very well.

 

[ericmark]

Both convector heaters and oil filled radiators heat the room by convection rather than radiation the difference is storage.

The oil stores heat so when it switches on and off you still get a continuous heat output where with the convector heaters and tube heaters the units tend to become completely cold before the thermostat switches them back on.

As well as storing the heat the oil removes hot spots because the oil itself moves by convection so far less likely to cause ignition to anything which is deposited on the heater. i.e. Paper blown off desk when door opened.

So yes convector heaters can be a fire risk however non are totally safe. The fan heater should have a thermal fuse but I have know them to fail and the heater it's self go on fire.

Radiant heaters mounted on the wall can heat you without heating the air so selecting heaters is all down to number of air changes per hour.