Electric wall heaters are useful items to have in rooms where you need to sometimes have additional heat, and they are particularly useful in bathrooms or in your children’s bedroom, or in anyone’s bedroom who is very sensitive to cool temperatures.
They are made to fit directly flush with the wall, usually recessed between two wall studs. First a metal frame is installed in the wall, between the two studs, or attached to one side stud. Next, the heating unit, consisting of the actual heating elements and a fan, is installed inside this metal frame. Finally a safety cover is installed over the frame and the heating unit. Controls are usually placed on the cover, and the cover is frequently louvered so that the heat coming out of the unit can be adjusted.
Electric wall heaters are usually controlled by a thermostat. Some electric wall heaters have the thermostat on the cover and while this can be very convenient it tends to not be as accurate as thermostats that are installed on the wall, as the heater’s cover will heat up when the heater is on and that will cause the thermostat to read a higher temperature.
When deciding on the size of your wall heater, there are a couple of things to take into consideration. First of all, naturally, is the size of the room that you will be heating. Figure out the square foot size of your room, and then allow 10 watts of heat per square foot for a well insulated room. If your house is older, or is not well insulated you should allow 12 watts per square foot. And for a room or home that is not insulated, with poor window placement, etc. you should up that to around 15 watts per square feet. As you can see, your room size and insulation really does make a difference when it comes to heating.
Electric wall heaters beat gas wall heaters hands-down in most situations, primarily because they are very easy and quick to install (no need for double venting, for example) and you don’t need to put in a gas run but you simply plug the electric heater in and it is ready to use. While electric wall heaters may not be as energy-efficient as installing central heating, they are certainly a more affordable option for many home owners these days. They are also great for providing that extra heating needed, quickly and at low cost.