electric Wall heaters
Small electric wall heaters are a common solution for bathrooms, while electric baseboard heaters are also relatively common in bedrooms. Other uses are relatively uncommon, due to the high cost of electricity heating.
For details on electric baseboard heating, see: Baseboard electric heaters efficiency.
Portable heaters can respond better and with more flexibility to small uses and situations involving supplemental heating, and there other alternatives to electric wall heaters for larger needs...
Electric Wall Heaters Uses
As said below, electric wall heaters can be a good solution for short periods of use (like those associated to their use in bathrooms) or, as it is the case of electric baseboard heating, for only occasionally used rooms.
They also make sense in situations where portable heaters and other non-mounted wall heaters are obstructive and when a more "hidden" source of supplemental heating is advantageous.
Capacity and Models
Most electric wall heaters are fan-forced radiant-convection heaters (they use both radiant and convection heating). Their models vary a lot in their capacity, but most are small, namely those focused on bathroom heating.
Most units have built-in thermostats, for energy savings and a more flexible use.
Electric Wall Heaters installation
The installation is typically easy to perform. The installer should follow the manufacturer instructions for their models.
Just be careful with the location of the units. Exterior walls are a typical bad option: the installation can break the insulation and originate condensation problems; and it may also compromise the accuracy of the in-built thermostat of the heater.
The installation also requires a minimum distance from adjacent surfaces, including the floor (often a minimum of 12”/5cm for a better performance).
Pay also attention to the voltage of the unit. Check the voltage of your electrical circuit and select a matching heater. That’s mostly a technical issue. Most 240 volt heaters or 120 volt heaters operate with the same output and the same amount of power.
See Baseboard electric heaters efficiency, for tips on their installation.
Electric wall heater manufacturers
Honeywell, Cadet and Fahrenheat are major names in electric baseboard heating. Marley-Kmark and King are also top manufacturers on electric wall heating.
For customer reviews in Amazon.com see: Electric wall heaters
Choosing a good model
Pay attention to the warranty of the electric wall heater. Warranties vary with models within the same brand. The best models have warranties of 5 years. For bathrooms, prefer a corrosion-resistant unit.
Gas v. Electric Wall Heaters
Gas wall heaters – including gas wall furnaces – are a direct alternative to electric wall heaters. They have some advantages, namely lower running costs and higher energy efficiency. But they too have several alternatives, and aren't so flexible to install, maintain or as safe as their electric cousins.
See also: