FROM THE CARTOON TO YOUR HOME
Hired to cut costs. Requests overtime.
A small heater can still have a substantial appetite. The useful question is how long it runs and whether it replaces other heating or simply adds to it.
Calculate energy first
Energy in kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours operating at that power. Multiply by your electricity price per kWh to estimate the energy cost. If the heater cycles, use its actual operating time or a supported duty-cycle estimate.
A worked example
Illustration only: a 1,500-watt heater running continuously for four hours uses 6 kWh. At $0.25/kWh, that is $1.50. Thirty such days cost $45. These are example inputs, not a current rate quote or a prediction for your home.
Savings depend on what changes
Adding a heater while keeping the rest of the heating unchanged adds electricity use. Whether targeted room heating lowers total cost depends on how much other heating you reduce and the relative system costs.
Use it safely
CPSC advises keeping space heaters at least three feet from combustible materials, plugging electric heaters directly into a wall outlet rather than a power strip or extension cord, and turning them off when sleeping or leaving them unattended. Follow the product instructions.
RUNNING COSTS
Estimate the cost before relying on it
The operating-cost tool is being prepared. For now, use the space-heater article’s worked example with your heater rating, operating hours and electricity rate.
The embedded tool is not available yet.
Sources & further reading
Reviewed September 27, 2026. General education; estimates are not guarantees or a substitute for a project-specific assessment.