How much does it cost to operate a personal electric space heater? The following formula can be used to calculate the cost to operate a 1,500-watt electric space heater: (Watts/1,000) x Hours of Use x Cost per kiloWatt-

Personal Electric Space Heater

Hour = Cost of Operation. Therefore if a 1,500-watt heater was turned on 24-hours at a rate of $0.10 per kiloWatt-Hour, the cost would be $3.60 per day or $108.00 per month.  If you only had 100 people running their personal electric space heaters like this example, the additional monthly electric cost would be $10,800.00!

Many facilities managers and electricians are getting out their wire cutters in advance of the personal electric space heater season.  These heaters can cause home and office safety issues.  According to the NFPA, in 2010, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 57,100 reported U.S. home structure fires, with associated losses of 490 civilian deaths, 1,540 civilian injuries, 

and $1.1 billion in direct property damage. These fires accounted for 16% of all reported home fires.

"Brand New Belongings" House Burn and Space Heater Safety Tips

If your office permits personal electric space heaters, here are a few safety tips:

• Purchase heater that has been UL listed.
• Keep heater 3 feet away from combustibles.  
• Do not use extension cords.
• Inspect heater periodically for damage.
• Place heater on a flat surface.
• Make sure heater has a tip over switch.
• Don't place anything on top of the heater.
• Don't overload the electric circuit.
• Have a working smoke/carbon monoxide detector in the area.
• Do not leave heater unattended.  

eDiscoveri is also prepared to help organizations with Utility Negotiations, Utilities Management and Budget Development. Please call eDiscoveri and we will help you "discover energy solutions" to reduce your energy costs. 

eDiscoveri can help customers reduce energy costs by:

• Rate Tariff Analysis
• Utility Negotiations
• Tax Exemptions & Deductions
• Utility Bill Auditing
• Utility Budget Development
• PJM Demand Response
• Utility Rebates
• Energy Audits