Safety and Features
In general, oil heaters are considered safer than electric fan heaters because they can have lower surface temperatures and require less consideration of the flow of air through/over the heater.
Most modern small heaters have some form of tilt sensor to cut power if they are knocked over or placed on an unstable surface. This can reduce the risk of fire if a heater is knocked over.
The surface temperature of oil heaters is usually low enough to be able to dry items of clothing by hanging them over the heater (but not in contact with the heater). Great caution must be exercised as there is a fire risk if the clothing is not removed immediately once it is dry; especially in the case of synthetic fabrics such as polyester, which can melt or burn where they are in contact with the heater. It should also be noted that some oil heaters contain strong warnings to avoid operation in damp areas (such as bathrooms or laundry rooms) because the moisture and humidity can damage components of the heater itself. From a safety standpoint, having any objects within three feet of an oil heater is generally to be avoided, and using one to dry clothes is not recommended by any modern manufacturer.
Even though, in normal operation, the surface temperature of the heater is quite low, the extra thermal resistance of the clothing on the heater can cause its surface temperature to rise in order to maintain the same level of heating for the room.
Oil heaters occasionally explode when their thermal fuses fail to shut them off. This can cause unpleasant odors, thick black smoke, oil on walls and other surfaces, fire, and disfiguring scalding.
Some companies offer oil heaters with a fan to encourage air flow over the heater. Since it is constantly bringing the colder air from the room into contact with the heater, this can improve the rate of heat flow from the heater into the room. The rate of heat flow from the heater into the air in contact with it is higher when there is a greater temperature difference between said heater and air.
Read more about this topic: Oil Heater
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