Looking for heater with decent fan

[James Egan]

I have a sun room with a perforated ceiling, and live in the northeastern U.S. I've tried several heaters, and none of them work well to keep me warm during the winter months. The heat just dissipates through the perforated ceiling before it reaches me. I currently have a Holmes 1500 watt quartz heater. This is the best I've tried so far. It has a fan, and blows the hot air a couple of feet or so. It's not a very powerful fan. Can anyone recommend a heater I could place near me, that has a decent fan? I'm thinking if the hot air blows over me before dissipating through the ceiling, It will do a better job of keeping me warm.

-Thanks

[JoeSpareBedroom]

What's a perforated ceiling?

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, You are trying to do almost impossible thing. Are you trying to heat the universe?, LOL! Radiator type heater may work better. I have a 4 season sun room with top half of all walls is double pane glass windows, bottom half is R20 foam core composite, roof is also foam core R40 laminated aluminum panels with two big sky lights. I have mid-size heat pump for heat/cool. I live in Calgary Alberta. We grow tomato, orchid, cukes in this room.

[Joseph Meehan]

What is a "perforated ceiling"?

If it is allowing heat to escape then no fan is going to make it any better, in fact a purely radiant heater with no fan would likely be best. However I suggest you may need to address the construction of what may be a room designed for warm weather use only. It sounds like you are wondering why it is cold on you back yard deck in the winter.

[Cshenk]

James, the only thing thats going to help there is a radient heater. They look a little like a large sun lamp or a sort a dish.

[James Egan]

The perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. That's what it's for. A radiant heater is the worst solution in this case. I know, I've tried several. The heat just rises and escapes through the perforated ceiling. That's why a fan that blows the hot air on you BEFORE it escapes through the perforated ceiling is a better solution.

[James Egan]

The perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. A radiant heater is the worst solution in this case. I know, I've tried several. The heat just rises and escapes through the perforated ceiling, even if the heater is only 2-3 feet away from you. That's why a fan that blows the hot air on you BEFORE it escapes through the perforated ceiling is a better solution. I have a quarts heater with a small blower, and it is by far the best I've tried.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Can you explain what material this ceiling is made of, or provide a link to a picture? Are they anything like the plastic gridwork panels we sometimes see on fluorescent light fixtures in commercial settings?

Entirely separate question:

Why are you trying to heat a room that's not designed for winter living in your climate?

[James Egan]

No, I'm not trying to heat the universe, just myself. Of course, the perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. A radiant heater is the worst solution in this case. I know, I've tried several. The heat just rises and escapes through the perforated ceiling, even if the heater is only 2 feet away from you. That's why a fan that blows the hot air on you BEFORE it escapes through the perforated ceiling is a better solution. I have a quarts heater with a small blower, and it is by far the best I've tried.

[James Egan]

It has many small holes in it to allow heat to escape. That's why a radiant heater does not work well, even if it's only 2 feet away from me. The heat escapes through the ceiling before it warms you. That's why I'm looking for a heater with a fan, to blow the hot air directly on me, before it escapes through the ceiling.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

How is the perforated ceiling installed? Dropped ceiling, with panels? If yes, why not change the panels in the winter?

[George]

I live in the NE and have never heard of a "perforated ceiling". Is this an actual living space or some sort of room that isn't intended to be occupied in the winter?

[CJT]

That makes no sense to me. A radiant heater would seem to be the only way to deliver heat directly to you _without_ convection carrying it away first.

I know, I've tried several. The heat just rises

[nicksanspam]

An enclosed porch under what used to be outdoor soffit vents?

You might seal up the holes somehow and let the sun heat the room.

Nick

[Joseph Meehan]

You have that one wrong. Radiant heat goes line of site from the heater. Think of being on the beach in the sun and then moving under a tree. It first hits something in the room (like you or a wall) then warms that directly. As those objects warm up they warm the air. The radiant heat does not rise or fall, it moves just like light.

So you need to be able to see the radiant source of the heater to be warmed by it directly.

Those heaters with fans are not, primarily, radiant, so they are heating the air. Without a fan that air rises directly from the heater up. With a fan it is blown away from the heater, but because the warm air is lighter than the cold air it is going to rise up rather quickly and, in your case go right out of the room without warming anything.

Frankly it appears you are trying to heat the outside. You are going to need a lot more radiant heat (and cost) or you will need to seal up that room so you loose less heat. Think of it as a patio. You need heavy duty heat since you are outside.

[Cshenk]

"Joseph Meehan" wrote

Correct. The one i used in Japan had a roughly 18 inch 'dish' and was a fre hazard if too close to anything it radiated on. I had to be at least 10 feet from me for example or it would get too hot.

Yes, he'd have to be within 3ft of the fan I'd guess.

Yup .

I suspect as he says he's tried a radient heater, he had one of the smaller versions. I had the heavy duty stuff for Japan (where houses are not as well insulated generally and seldom did you see double panes windows in my area). I've seen cute little ones with a 'dish' no more than 6 inches across. Cute but not useful in any real way except as a foot warmer in a cold bathroom.

[Cshenk]

"James Egan" wrote

James, if you desire to believe a radient heater (which is what everyone keeps telling you is the answer if you cant seal the ceiling) is 'not right' then what are you looking for?

Hot air flows will just run up the ceiling and escape before warming the area.

[Cshenk]

"James Egan" wrote

Um, James, thats not how true Radient heaters work. Could you have used something labeled as such that wasnt really a radient heater? They work as a line of sight heating unit. They also rotate on the pedistal so you do not overheat the items in it's line of sight (LOS) to cause a firehazard.

Come to think of it, I believe I have seen oil filled electric things with 'radient heat' labeled on them. That is *not* what folks have been talking about and would be useless in your case as they just radiate 'up'. Those work by radiating heat to the air around them and require the room be 'sealed' to 'trap the heat in'.

The real thing has a dish shaped cone that sends heat out in a conical spread.

[James Egan]

No, the room is definitely not intended to be occupied in the winter. Someone else referred to the "perforated ceiling" as "soffit vents", which is a more accurate description. I had already posted another message titled:

"Question about converting sun room to all year use"

But I'm concerned about heating a room which will get very little use. So I'm back to looking for a heater with a more powerful fan that would blow the warm air at me.

[nicksanspam]

A sun room with south-facing glass should not need a heater.

Nick