Keep in mind that heater is there for a purpose. It's there to prevent condensation. Any time the dew point is higher that the surface protected by the heater, there will be condensation occurring leading to rust sooner or later. There in the Wilmette Valley, dew points are regularly in the 50 to 60 degree range. When in desert areas where the dew point is below 25 degree condensation won't be an issue and those with a switch could safely turn the heater off. Around St Louis where I live, we often have dew points near and sometimes over 70 degrees so those heaters are a must.
