Everything You Need to Know About Wall Heaters

If you’re looking for an inexpensive heating solution, wall heaters – also called wall furnaces – might be the right choice for you. Fundamentally, a wall heater is precisely what it sounds like, a small furnace built directly into the wall of a room.  

Wall heaters were first invented in the 1950s, as an alternative to clunky radiators or baseboard heaters. Since then, they’ve continued to be refined and are commonly found in apartments across the United States.

Is this a good option for heating? That depends on your situation. Let’s take a look.

How Do Wall Heaters Work?

A wall heater works like pretty much any furnace. Wall Heaters are typically gas-powered and run off a pilot light. Everything the system needs is self-contained within the unit itself. 

Aside from the lines running to the wall heater, the only modification required is a dedicated duct for the exhaust. Building codes in nearly all areas make this mandatory.

How Do Wall Heaters Heat?

It mainly depends on the size of the room. For things considered, wall furnaces are pretty efficient and pump out a lot of heat – but it’s all coming from a relatively small source. They’re excellent for bedrooms and small apartments, but a single unit isn’t going to be able to heat more than one room at a time in most situations.  

If you have several rooms, installing a wall heater in each is an option. This would also give you the ability to control each room separately, much like with a ductless mini-split heat pump. This is also one of the better options for people whose homes lack central air and ductwork.

Are Wall Heaters Safe?

If properly installed, yes, you definitely want professional wall heater replacement and installation specialists to handle the job. Professional installation ensures the wall furnace will be as safe as possible. Otherwise, there are two main safety concerns:

Wall heaters have no filter, so the area around the heater needs to be free of any debris, particularly debris which could be flammable.

Wall heaters generate carbon monoxide, which is vented through the exhaust – but exhaust vents can become clogged. So, it is highly recommended to have a carbon monoxide detector nearby, just in case.

Wall Heaters Replacement

If you’re looking for a new heating system, Mt. Hood Ductless can help. Contact us for a consultation on modern heating options.