What You Need to Know about Indoor Propane Heaters

In this day and age many are concerned not only with the high cost of home heating during the winter months, but also with the impact on the environment. Electricity seems to get higher and higher, and the cost of heating oil has risen steadily as well. People worry about breathing in carcinogens from wood stoves, and the risks of fire they present. A low cost, fuel efficient alternative to this is propane. Propane burns cleaner, runs longer, and usually cost just pennies a day. When it comes to indoor propane heaters, there are many different models and brands to choose from. Some of these can be permanently mounted on the walls, or close to the ceiling, or there are portable models that can be moved from room to room.

One of the disadvantages of using an indoor propane heater is that you can't put one in every room of the house. You have to have adequate space around the unit, and oxygen, so bathrooms and small spaces are not advised for prolonged periods.

One of these models, sold through Northern Tool and Equipment, is the ProCom Radiant Vent-Free Liquid Propane heater, model#ML250TPA that provides 25,000 BTUs of radiant heat. Radiant heaters heat up objects in the room then the surrounding air. This model provides easy installation, because it doesn't require a vent or chimney, and can be mounted on the wall almost anywhere. With its 25,000 BTU output, it can provide heating of up to 700 square feet.

Because it requires no blower, it will still work even in a power outage. It has a built in thermostat, and a push button starter. The safety pilot will completely shut down automatically, and is in accordance with many state and local ordinances and regulations. It has and optional base and blower, that is sold separately, or can be mounted to the wall.

The Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater, providing up to 250 square feet with 4-9 thousand BTUs of radiant heat. It will run on two disposable tanks, or a 20lb tank with an adapter. It is completely portable, and approved for indoor and outdoor applications.

The Mr Heater alone ranges from around $145-$180, depending one which retailer. You can and should check out each retailers site, to see what guarantees, and warranties each offers. You should also check if the are any shipping charges, especially if you have to return the unit for some reason.

There are many uses for indoor propane heaters, and they can be a safe, efficient way to warm your home or garage. It is important to not that when you are using any kind of combustion generated heating source, it is always a good idea to at least crack a window. If you are worried about carbon monoxide poisoning and the unit you choose doesn't have one, you can pick one up for around $20 at many hardware stores.