How to Pick the Right Wattage to Heat Your Room

We get the question all the time: What is the right size heater or what wattage heater do I need for my room? With our products, heat output is measured in wattage. That doesn't necessarily mean more is better. Just because you can get a 2,000-watt heater for the same price as a 750-watt one, doesn't mean you should. Too much heat for the room will cause the heater to fail. Too little and it will always be cold.

More heat - and maybe a ceiling fan - for high ceilings

Higher ceilings means more air in your room. That air needs to be heated to keep you warm. If you have high or vaulted ceilings, move up to the next wattage or buy a ceiling fan to help circulate air.

Less heat if using with other heat source

If you’re using a Cadet heater for a little extra warmth in a room that’s already heated by a some other form of heat, you can use less wattage. In other words, a 1,500-watt heater will be great for a 250-square-foot room with central heat. If that same room had no other source of heat, you’d need a 2,000-watt heater.

If you're replacing an older heater, get the same wattage and voltage

If you're replacing an old heater, you must match the old heater's voltage. It's usually best to match its wattage as well. If you increase the wattage of your heater, your circuit and wiring might not be set up to handle the increased load. That will lead to tripped circuits and cold rooms. Decreasing the wattage isn't typically an issue. But if you don't have enough watts for the room, the heater may run constantly to try to get your room up to the temperature set on the thermostat. If you have any questions or aren't sure what to do next, you can always get in touch with our customer service team. They'd be more than happy to help walk you through the process. Speaking of finding the right heater, be sure to check out our guides on finding the right model for your room and the right voltage heater.