Pros and Cons of an Electric Wall Heater

An electric wall heater is a handy device if you want to warm select rooms in your house. The appliance is installed on the interior walls. It basically consists of an electric element, a reflector, and a fan. As the element heats up, the fan circulates the heated air through the heater. The warm air is then transferred into the room through conduction. The heater also operates on the convection principle. Heated air from the appliance rises up which causes cold air to be drawn into the heater. This creates air circulation within a room.

Pro: Easy Installation

The heater is one of the easiest types to install. It does not involve much expertise or technical processes. You do not require ducts or pipe networks for the heater to function. The slim design and lightweight nature of the heater also make it easy to handle.

Pro: Affordable

Electric wall heaters are an inexpensive heating appliance. They have a low initial financial investment. You can get a good model for under $100. Combined with the ease of installation, this makes the heaters a popular choice amongst homeowners.

Pro: Convenient

The heater does not require much space. The minimal space requirements make it easy to install the heater just about anywhere. The heater is also able to stabilize room temperature without constant adjustment. Once you plug the heater in, you needn’t bother to regulate it. This adds to the convenience of the heater.

Pro: Flexibility

You get more control over the rooms you wish to heat. This comes in handy if you frequently heat just one room or selected rooms. It eliminates the need to use a central heat source to heat the entire house. This helps to save energy since you need not heat unoccupied sections of the house.

Pro: Noiseless

The heater warms the room quietly and efficiently. It doesn’t produce the kind of noise associated with radiators or some other heaters. This makes it a convenient device for household heating.

Pro: Reduced Allergies

Heated air from an electric wall heater is not forced through ducts and vents. The incidences of dust and pollen in the air is significantly reduced. It contributes to cleaner quality of air which helps to reduce allergies.

Con: High Running Costs

Wall heaters that use electricity can be quite costly to operate. This is because of the relatively high cost of electricity. Cheaper fuels such as propane, natural gas, or oil are usually more economical for residential heater operations.

Con: Low Energy Efficiency

Much electrical energy is wasted during heater operations. A significant portion of the energy is lost during generation and transmission of heat. This puts the electric heater efficiency at about 50 percent or less.

Con: Limited Power Capacity

The heaters are more of a supplemental heating appliance. This is because they don’t have the capacity to heat an entire house. Their usage is limited to small loads in select areas.