• Space heaters are the modern equivalent of wood-burning stoves used to heat rooms.Old Stove and Antique Chair image by bawinner from Fotolia.com
  
  Central heating can be expensive, because it warms the entire home, not just the rooms where the people are. Many people are turning to space heaters as an economical alternative to heating their whole house. Space heaters can quickly and efficiently warm rooms for a fraction of the cost of central heating. Space heaters often get hot and may pose other safety risks; users should be careful about touching them or using them in poorly ventilated areas to reduce the risk of fire, gas poisoning or burns.
  
  

Oil-Filled Heaters

• Oil-filled heaters, rather than burning oil, use electricity to heat oil on the inside of the heater. Treehugger.com reports that these types of heaters are economical because the oil, once heated, continues to heat the room for some time. Thus, these heaters use less electricity to heat space than some other types of heaters. Oil heaters are usually hot to the touch, so users must be careful to keep them out of reach of curious children and pets.
  
  

Convection Heaters

• Convection heaters warm air, causing it to rise and circulate around the room. This heating method is often slow, although newer models sometimes use a fan to speed the circulation process. With convection heat, once rooms are warm they can remain that way for a significant period of time without using extra electricity. The heater itself is hot enough to burn carpets if it tips over; most convection heaters have automatic shutoff switches that turn off the heat if the unit tips over.
  
  

Radiant Heaters

• Radiant heaters radiate heat energy out across the range of the heater. These heaters warm space quickly, making them economical to use in small spaces. However, they heat objects in their path rather than heating the air itself, so they are not the best choice for larger spaces. Flammable objects and objects that absorb heat should be kept out of the way of the radiant heater to reduce the risk of burns or fire.