Which is better: a fan heater or a heat gun?

In our climate, the issue of heating quality is always very pressing. If the room is not connected to central heating or it is not enough for comfort, you can install autonomous heaters. They can be both a complement and an alternative to the overall system. The most common options are a heat gun and a fan heater. To determine which device to install, you need to understand how they differ from each other.

Operating principle of the fan heater

A fan heater is a complex consisting of a heating element and a conventional fan. Depending on the heating element, it is of the following type:

• ceramic (can be glass or metal based);
• spiral (a metal spiral, most often made of chromium, is heated);
• Heating elements or tubular (a heating element and a filler with a high thermal conductivity are placed in a hollow pipe).

Spiral models are the cheapest. They heat the room faster than others, but they also fail earlier. Another disadvantage is that during operation they become very hot and the dust deposited on the elements burns. This releases combustion products into the air and creates an unpleasant odor.Ceramic and heating elements do not have this drawback.

As a rule, all fans are powered by electricity. The maximum power is 2 kW/hour, which is enough to heat a room of 10 square meters. To warm up the air in a room of this size, a fan heater with maximum power will take about 30 minutes.

They are also classified according to placement method, type of control and functionality.

IMPORTANT! Fan heaters cannot be used in rooms with high humidity, as well as near chemicals and explosives.

Operating principle of a heat gun

A heat gun is a type of fan heater, but with much greater power. Designed to heat rooms larger than 10 square meters.

Unlike a fan, it can run not only on electricity, but also on fuel (gas, diesel fuel, kerosene). But when operating on fuel, combustion products enter the air, which negatively affects the human body.

IMPORTANT! Gas guns (directly heated) have an increased fire hazard and are prohibited for use in residential premises.

A coil or heating element is used as a heating element in the gun.

The infrared gun differs from the others in its operating principle and mechanism. It does not have the usual fan, and the air is heated under the influence of infrared radiation. The entire room is not heated at once, but only a separate section of it. Because of this feature, it is used mainly on construction sites.

How does a fan heater differ from a heat gun?

The operating principle and design of these devices are the same. The main difference is power.

The metal body makes the gun heavier, but also adds strength to it.

Another difference is in efficiency. Due to the fact that the gun can run on fuel, the cost of its operation is significantly lower.

The general drawback is that both the fan heater and the gun dry out the air and burn oxygen. They are not intended for continuous operation, and manufacturers recommend periodically ventilating the room after they are turned off.

Which is better: a gun or a fan heater?

These devices are designed to work in different conditions. To make the right choice, you must first evaluate the room itself, and first of all calculate the minimum power of the device. For this, the formula is used: 1 kW per 25 cubic meters of room. It is necessary to take into account additional factors that affect this ratio:

• availability of central heating;
• window area;
• thermal insulation.

Important: regular household sockets are rated at 3.5 kW. Therefore, heaters with a power greater than 3 kW cannot be left connected for a long time.

Advantages and disadvantages of this heating equipment:

As a rule, a fan heater is sufficient to heat an apartment. The heat gun is great for hangars, garages and other non-residential premises.