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Have you ever wondered why you energy costs increase in the winter?  One cause is the use of personal space heaters.  This morning there was frost on my car windows and snow is being predicted for this Wednesday.  More people are now plugging in personal space heaters under their desks.  A typical personal electric space heater is rated at 1,500 watts (1.5 kilowatt).  This is equivalent to twenty-five (25) 60 watt light bulbs.  Many personal space heater users leave the unit turned on 24/7 so that the space under their desk is warm when they arrive each morning.  Is this the norm at your office?

Our feature article "Personal Electric Space Heaters" discusses the cost to operate personal space heaters and a few safety concerns. If you find this information helpful, please forward to a colleague.
 
Personal Electric Space Heaters

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
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
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eDiscoveri helps customers: manage relationships with utilities, improve reliability and reduce energy costs.  Please let us know if we can be assistance to your company or government agency.
 
Sincerely,
 Russell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ralph W. Russell, II
President
eDiscoveri
+1 804 291 7667