How Much Electricity Does A 1500-Watt Heater Use?

Today we’re answering the question, “How much electricity does a 1500-watt heater use?” The main reason this information is valuable to you is to enable you to plan around your electricity bill. Whether you’ve been using your electric space heater for a while or just got a brand new one, knowing how much electricity it consumes can allow you to budget and make adjustments where needed.

We understand the need for some much-needed warmth during those cold seasons when even the thought of going outside can make you groan. However, you also need to know how much keeping warm is costing you to ensure that you never run out of electric units.

In addition to giving you information on how much electricity your 1500-watt electric space heater uses, we’ll also cover the factors influencing this figure, how to reduce electricity consumption, and more vital information.

Let’s get started.

Calculating How Much Electricity Your 1500-Watt Heater Uses

Before we get down to the formulas, let’s first understand what we mean by power. Power is the rate at which electrical energy is used by your space heater and is calculated in watts.

Amps x Voltage = Watts

When it comes to your 1500-watts space heater, it draws 12.5 amps of electricity at 120 volts. Therefore:

12.5 amps x 120 volts = 1500 watts

This is where we get the 1500 watts from.

Although this may seem like unnecessary math, we want you to understand the basics of the concept so that you can know exactly what’s happening to allow you to remain warm and toasty during those cold periods.

Now that we have a good understanding of where we’ve got the watts from let’s now move to kilowatt hours. We’ll need to know how many kilowatt-hours your space heater uses so that we can calculate how much money you’ll spend while using your space heater.

Most electric utility companies bill in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Therefore, we’ll find how many kilowatt-hours your space heater uses to give you an exact figure.

The electricity your heater uses in a day = Power x Time (in hours)

In this example, we’ll assume that you have your space heater on for 6 hours every day. We’ll also assume that you’re using it at the highest setting, which is 1500 watts.

Therefore the electricity consumption per day = 1500 watts x 6 hours = 9,000 watt-hours

9,000 watt-hours/1000 = 9 kilowatt-hours

Calculating the Cost to Run A 1500-Watt Heater Per Day

Now that we have the kilowatt-hours per day, it’s easy to get the cost of running your space heater for 6 hours each day.

As of June 2023, the average cost of electricity in the United States was $0.17 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Therefore, we’ll use this rate in our example today to get our estimate. However, check the rates in your area when doing your calculations to ensure you get the right figures.

So, the cost of running your space heater for 6 hours each day at a rate of $0.17 will be:

9 kWh x $0.17 = $1.53

With this figure in mind, you can now plan around your monthly budget and your needs. We’ll talk about ways to optimize your electricity usage in a minute to help you reduce your electricity usage.

For now, let’s dive into the factors that influence the energy consumption of your space heaters.

Factors Affecting the Electricity Consumption of Space Heaters

Image Source: thespruce.com

Here are some common factors that affect the electricity consumption of electric space heaters. Understanding them enables you to understand why the energy consumption of electric heaters varies from one model to the next and from one situation to the next.

1. Heating Settings

When calculating how much electricity your 1,500-watt space heater consumes per day, we assumed that you are using it at the highest setting, which is 1500 watts.

However, there are other settings on your electric heater. Let’s look at them briefly.

a) 500 Watts

This is a low setting on space heaters and is often suitable when you’re using your electric heater in a small space, such as your bathroom. Here are the best space heaters for your bathroom for a comfortable experience.

b) 750 Watts

This is also considered a low setting on space heaters and is also great for small rooms. These can include your bathroom, small office, small bedroom, and any other small room.

c) 1000 Watts

This is a medium setting on your space heater and is great for warming up larger rooms, such as your bedroom, a small living room, and any other insulated room.

d) 1500 Watts

This is the highest setting and is perfect for medium-sized rooms, such as your kitchen, modest-sized living room, dining room, office, and other rooms in your house.

It’s important to note that these electric heater settings will vary from model to model. Therefore, don’t be surprised if you can’t find all the settings on your electric heater.

2. Insulation

We’ve mentioned a well-insulated room above when covering the medium setting on your electric heater. Insulation makes a huge difference in the power consumption of your electric heater because it reduces its workload.

A well-insulated room retains heat better and reduces the amount of heat your electric heater needs to produce for you to be comfortable. Therefore, consider insulating your spaces if you want to reduce your energy consumption.

3. Climatic Conditions

You’ll find that your electric heater is consuming more electricity during the cold season compared to the times it’s relatively warmer because the ambient temperature influences how much heat you’ll need to reach your comfort level.

During the winter or cold season, your electric heaters will work harder to maintain your desired warmth. The heat loss is more during this time, and your electric heaters will have to compensate for that. You’ll find that your electricity costs are higher during this period.

Therefore, it’s best to take this into account when budgeting to ensure that you never run short or have to compromise your comfort.

4. Efficiency

The more efficient your heater is, the less energy it will consume. If you haven’t already got yourself a heater, consider checking the efficiency of the available products to ensure you get the best deal.

Infrared heaters and other electric heaters with a higher efficiency rating work to maximize their heat output while minimizing their electricity consumption. Not only is this good for the environment, but it also reduces the cost of running your 1,500-watt heater.

Now that we’ve briefly looked at the factors affecting the energy consumption of your heater let’s look at ways to reduce your electricity usage.

Tips for Optimizing Electricity Consumption of 1500-Watt Electric Heaters

Although getting the most energy-efficient space heaters is the best way to go when looking to reduce your energy consumption, you can also do the same with these tips and tricks.

Here are some of the ways you can reduce your energy consumption without compromising on your warmth and comfort.

1. Set the Thermostat Temperature Wisely

The key to making this tip work for you is to maintain a comfortable temperature without allowing for excessive heating. For example, you can change the setting to suit the ambient temperature.

Therefore, when the temperature outside rises, you can lower the setting, and vice versa. This will prevent you from overheating your space while still enjoying the warmth of your space.

2. Only Heat Occupied Rooms

Although you may afford to place an electric heater in every room of your home and keep it running, it is not efficient to do so. We recommend only heating up the rooms that you are staying in and moving the heater with you when you move into another room.

Also, consider closing the doors of the room you are currently residing in to reduce the rate of heat loss. You could also use draft stoppers to prevent the heat from escaping or cold air from streaming in.

3. Supplementing the Heat with Insulation

As we mentioned earlier, insulating your space helps reduce the workload on your space heater and minimize the amount of electricity it consumes. Some of the ways you can insulate your space include using carpet and rugs to insulate the floor, using draft stoppers, and using various methods to insulate the windows, roof, walls, and attic.

Doing this will help you retain heat and reduce the amount of heat you need the space heater to produce to maintain the level of warmth you need.

4. Regular Maintenance

Regularly maintaining your space heater improves efficiency and prevents it from needing more energy to function properly. Some of the ways you can maintain your space heater include cleaning and replacing your filters, ensuring proper airflow at all times, and checking for signals of malfunction.

Final Thoughts

The amount of electricity your space heater uses to keep you warm during those cold months is dependent on the factors we’ve mentioned above. However, assuming that you are using your 1500-watt electric heater at the maximum setting for 6 hours every day, your daily energy consumption will be 9 kWh.

You can now use this figure and the rate per kWh to answer the question, “How much does it cost to use my space heater per day?” Remember to incorporate the tips we’ve mentioned above to minimize the amount of energy consumption by your space heater.

Here’s our take on heating with electricity vs gas. Read on to find out which is the cheaper option and which is the better pick overall.