Thread 16779906

My mother says don't get cheap heaters, because it'll end up costing you more in power because they're inefficient.
How can a heater be inefficient? Where is the wasted energy going? If it turns into heat, that's not wasted energy. It's job is being a fucking heater.
I assumed my mum was just dumb and didn't understand science like I do, but when I got my power bill, she was right.
So, if energy can't be created or destroyed, where is the energy that goes into my inefficient heater going?

>>16779906 (OP)
They can't, they can only be a loud, unreliable, lack features and maybe be a fire hazard but they can't be inefficient.

>>16779909
so why my bill so high?

>>16779940
heaters as a whole are high power draw. that's their whole thing.

>>16779906 (OP)
with radiant heaters, 100% of the electricity becomes heat. there is however a less common type of heater called a heat pump, which is like an air conditioner facing the other direction, where you get 5x as much heat for the same electricity

>>16779940
You use a space heater, the most ineffective way to heat a space using electricity.

>>16779906 (OP)
some devices heat up a smaller space (e.g. electric blankets), i guess

>>16779906 (OP)
Just get hot water bottle like a normal poor person.

>>16779972
what about when it cools down thoughbeit...

>>16779906 (OP)
they need a good fan to circulate the air well

>>16779906 (OP)
Energy CAN be destroyed

>>16780255
To make your mom heavier

>>16779972
>>16779975
rocks are cheaper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psaDQTxyk3g

>>16779906 (OP)
In most cold places, heating with natural gas or fuel oil is cheaper than electric. In not all very cold places, heat pumps are cheaper than resistive electric heating, which is what that space heater is. A heat pump sucks heat from the outside and brings it inside. It's not actually generating heat, it's just moving it. Above a certain temperature, that uses less electricity per unit of heat. When it gets too cold, a normal heat pump simply can't pull in enough heat from the outdoors (or ground if it is ground source but they're somewhat rare).
There's lots of research on making heat pumps better, especially in lower temperatures. If they can get it to where it costs less than natural gas or fuel oil even at very low exterior temperatures, they'll spread into much wider use.

>>16780557
but how do I get the rock hot again? I'm being told not to use a heater.

>>16779962
>>16780588
Heat pumps are neat and all, especially for the luxury of maintaining the perfect temp for you in mild weather, but the kind of people who buy cheap heaters/AC usually will refrain from using them except in more extreme weather, when heat pumps barely work.