2kW Convector heater with Thermostat Floor Standing White IP20 with 1.8m Cable

Electric portable heaters have had a resurgence in popularity in recent times, as modern, eco-efficient models have broken into the market. Previously, they were labelled as being very wasteful but this is no longer the case - as discussed in this article. Electric portable heaters offer all types of advantages. They have flexible placement, they are virtually maintenance free, and they incur cheap running costs. However, there are dangers that come with running portable heaters - even the newer range. In this article, Sparks will take a look at safe portable heater usage. We will use advice taken from a prestigious heating manufacturer - Dimplex. What to look for when first purchasing an electric heater The first thing to check for is if your heater has a BEAB approved European Safety Mark. This mark is the highest safety standard achievable in the UK market and is well-trusted in the industry. When looking at Dimplex heaters, you will find the mark on the product itself, as well as the packaging and literature. The BEAB approved mark indicates that ‘Intertek’ (an independent third-party company) has given the green light to the product. This means they have verified that the manufacturer has committed to best practice, product quality and, most importantly, customer safety. Customer safety is the key issue we will examine in this article. BEAB awarded products offer a variety of safety features including: Run back timers. Easy to clean dust filters. Overheat cut outs. Built-in tilt switches (this cuts off power to the heater in case it is knocked over). Dimplex’s latest range of heaters include some or all of these features. They also have other advantages. For instance, the Dimplex DXC30Ti 3.0kW can be used as a portable heater or be wall mounted. It also comes with feet, wall brackets, a cable and a fitted plug. This makes it very easy to install - in whatever area of the home you choose. While old-school portable heaters were only considered as an option for rarely used ‘outbuildings’, these heaters are designed to complement any area (except the bathroom). This provides a great deal of convenience to the user. Safety advice: Using your electric portable heater at home Electric portable heaters carry fewer risks than other forms of heating. There is no fuel that is being burned internally, so there is no risk of carbon monoxide (CO) fumes or the dangers of storing and changing gas bottles. These are problems involved with using portable gas heaters. When used correctly, electric portable heaters are among the safest ways you can warm up your room. However, this should not cause you to become too complacent - you still need to take the following safety advice when using these products at home: Purchase your heater from recognised manufacturers and retailers. Also, ensure that the product shows the BEAB mark as an assurance of safety. Always avoid buying second-hand heaters. They may have potentially harmful defects. Put your heater on a level surface and away from any potential obstruction. Do not power a heater from an extension lead. These can be easily overloaded, which will cause an electrical fire. Never cover, drape or leave clothing on an electric heater. Also, refrain from using it to dry your clothes. Keep your heater a safe distance (at least a metre) away from clothes, curtains and furniture. Turn your heater off and allow it to cool before moving on. Make sure your heater is regularly inspected for damage and deterioration by a registered electrician. Do not use it if you are in any way uncertain, or if there is apparent damage. Always use the portable heater for its intended application. Keeping a warm and safe home with Dimplex Dimplex set out with a policy goal of designing all of their products with ‘safety front and centre’. If they are used as advised in this article, their electric heaters should be much safer than other forms of heating. No fuel is consumed with Dimplex’s modern heaters, which mean less ventilation is required in your home. You are also at far less risk of CO poisoning. Additionally, the newer models are highly eco-efficient, meaning they still retain the low running costs that made them so popular when they first came out. So, if you are looking for a flexible, safe, energy-efficient means of heating your home - then Dimplex has you covered with their brilliant array of electric portable heaters.

It’s happened to all of us: we go to bed feeling ready to fall asleep straight away but then find ourselves tossing and turning all night. There could be many reasons for finding it difficult to fall asleep. One of these problems could likely be the heating in your room, and in this article we want to find out how portable heating can help. During the winter, many energy-conscious people will sleep in rooms that are too cool. Meanwhile, during the summer, others will put up with sweltering hot conditions that can leave them sweating. The Sleep Council recommends 18 degrees as the optimum room temperature to fall asleep in. In this article, Sparks will look at how we can maintain this ideal temperature without suffering from high energy costs. Why it is so important that you get a good night’s sleep Detailed sleep studies have made us more aware of how important sleep is to our physical and mental well-being. The precise reason why we need to sleep and dream is still not conclusive. However, the results indicate that our quality of sleep is intrinsically linked to our quality of life. Poor sleep patterns have been strongly linked to weight gain, greater risk of heart disease or stroke, the risk of diabetes and mental health problems. Meanwhile, positive sleep patterns have been linked to improved concentration and productivity, better athletic performance and better immune function. As you can see, quality sleep is essential for us all - and all avenues to improving our sleep should be explored. First on the list of the Sleep Council’s methods to improve sleep is by achieving the optimal temperature in your room. Portable heating and cooling for ideal sleeping conditions Ensuring that your bedroom is kept to an accurate and dependable temperature is a difficult task for most central heating systems. This is why people are increasingly turning to portable heating and cooling as a solution, given the advancements these systems have seen in recent years. A primary reason for this is that portable heaters are separate from your central heating system, and offer greater adaptability. Portable coolers are ideal when you find yourself struggling to get some sleep in a hot environment. They operate at a quiet and efficient rate to keep your room at a comfortable temperature that is conducive to sleep. Dimplex offers a great range of portable coolers, which have modern features such as adjustable speed settings - which you can operate from your bed. If you find yourself sweating into your sheets at night, all you need to do is manage the cooler from a remote. On the other hand, you may find yourself freezing cold under the covers during the winter. Sometimes merely adding extra duvets or blankets is not enough but rather, it can be uncomfortable. If this is the case then you should look into electric portable heaters. It boasts a thermostatic control, a 24-hour timer and can be used as a portable device or wall-mounted.Installed heating for perfect sleeping conditions Some may argue that portable heating and cooling solutions for your bedroom are only ‘temporary’. If you are looking for something more permanent than you may wish to have installed heating within your bedroom. The intuitive technology employed in modern electric radiators means that fluctuations in temperature are no longer a problem. You can guarantee a steady 18-degree temperature in your room throughout the night to allow for a good night’s rest. Dimplex offers a range of fixed electric radiators that - crucially - have smart programmable controls. They are thermostatically controlled, via a variable thermostat which allows the user to stay in control of a set point temperature. This allows them to establish a comfortable and cosy environment for sleeping. It strikes the perfect balance between convected and radiant heat, and ensures warmth is efficiently spread to both the air and the people in the room. Electric cooling and heating can improve your lifestyle As explained above in this article, sleep is very important when it comes to our general well-being and quality of life. Furthermore, your room’s temperature is strongly linked to how well you sleep. There are some easy solutions for seasonal ‘extreme’ temperatures. For winter you may add extra layers of sheets to your bed, while in summer you could open a window or two. However, this is not an exact science for room temperature control. Dimplex offers a real solution with their range of portable (or fixed) heating and cooling systems. Utilising smart technology, they have clever features such as ‘overheat cut out’, which is helpful for creating a set point temperature of 18 degrees. This will allow you to get a great night’s rest - and be ready for the day ahead.

As energy bills are predicted to rise even more, you may be worried about how will you heat your home during the winter.One way to heat your room or office is by using portable heaters; they are a convenient alternative to central heating, especially when you need heat in one or two rooms.Why not heat up only the space you use and live in, instead of heating up the whole house? Here's where portable heaters come in. They are very popular and quite handy when the chilly months of the year are upon us. However, it is best to use the portable heaters safely, as outlined both by Dimplex here and by Electrical Safety First here. The Three Types of Portable HeatersYou may have seen or used a portable heater at home or in your office to warm up the room or the space you are in. There are three main types of portable heaters in the UK:Fan Heaters: these are electric heaters that have a fan incorporated, which pushes out warm air once plugged in and turned on. They are quite convenient when you need heat right now, but many of them don't have a heating element that keeps them warm after they are turned off. Here are some of the fan heaters we sell.Oil-filled Radiators: as the name suggests, these are panel heaters that are filled with oil and offer radiant heating once turned on. The oil inside makes them warm and keeps them a while longer when they are turned off. Take look at the oil-filled heaters available at Sparks.Halogen Heaters/Infrared heaters: These kinds of heaters offer heat or warmth by radiating infrared light. These heaters use halogen elements enclosed in lamps or bulbs, which directly heat the object when the light reaches it. They don't technically heat the air in the room but rather the object which needs to be heated up. At Sparks, we mainly sell infrared heaters for warehouses or large rooms. Buy Classic 2kW Convector HeaterHow to Safely Use Portable Heaters at HomeMany of the fires caused by portable heaters are because of some basic mistakes which, once identified, eliminate the risk of fire. For example, if a heater is placed in a place where people walk by, it is easy to be knocked down and start a fire. Or if you hang the laundry above or near the portable heater, it can be easy for it to catch fire. Furthermore, when portable heaters are too close to little children or elderly ones, it is easy for them to get burned.Buy Riviera 2kW Oil-Filled Radiator Here are some of the top tips on safely using portable heaters at home:Always ensure to position your portable heater on a level surface, not uneven, and well away from anything that could knock it over. If the surface is uneven, it is easy for the heater to fall. If the heater is on a path of those around, it can be knocked over.The portable heaters need to be at least 1m away from combustible materials and textiles. Make sure things such as papers, furniture, curtains, and even laundry are at least 1m away from the heater. Yes, the laundry may seem to dry faster when closer to the heater, but the risks outweigh the benefits.Turn off the portable heater when not in use or at night. Never leave the heater unattended or ON, especially while you are asleep. It may sound simple, but it is easy to turn on the heater and feel so warm that you fall asleep and forget about it, and it is quite dangerous to have the heater on at night.Do not power your portable heater from an extension lead. The wattage of the heater will always exceed the rating of the power lead, and adding extra electrical items in that extension multiplies the risk. Plug the heater directly into the wall-mounted socket.Inspect your heater regularly and don't use second-hand heaters. Sometimes there may be a burnt smell once the heater is on due to dust or other things, and in such cases, the heater needs to be cleaned before use. Also, it is not safe to use second-hand heaters.Regularly inspect the heaters for damage, deterioration, or dirt. If the heater has a loose cable or part, do not use it. If it is not in a good condition, it's safest not to use it.Do not dry your laundry over the heater. Yes, it is convenient to have the laundry rack close to the heater or even above it, but it is not safe at all. Make sure there are no textiles within 1m of the portable heater.Buy your new portable heater made by known manufacturers and from recognised retailers, and ensure to choose a product that has a BEAB mark. At Sparks, we have a wide range of excellent portable heaters.To be extra safe, it is recommended to register the new portable heater you have purchased. And to be even safer, you can check the Product Recall Checker to see whether the portable heater or any other electrical items have been recalled.