WALL HEATERS 101 | The Benefits
- Starts Working Quickly:
When operated with the proper safety precautions, wall-mounted heaters provide a variety of benefits for home and apartment dwellers. Many of these units will heat up within 60-120 seconds, providing fast and efficient heat when you need it the most. - Perfect for Supplemental Heating:
Wall heaters are also a great tool to use for supplemental heating. This strategy consists of using a low-cost heating device that uses minimal electricity to warm up the area you’re currently residing in, instead of heating up your entire home. Not only will this make your home more energy efficient, you’ll ultimately pay less when you receive your heating bill. We can’t stress it enough, supplemental heating is one of the best ways to lower your energy bills in the winter months. - Features Temperature Control:
Electric wall-mounted heaters typically have a feature that allows for complete temperature control. This is a recommended feature that you should look for when buying a heater for yourself. Without having complete control of the temperature, you run the risk of having a temperature that is never quite right. - Keeps You Warm For Hours:
Another great benefit, is that the heat from wall heater typically lasts for hours, even after the unit has been turned off. If it doesn’t, then you may want to check out how much insulation your home has or if there’s any drafty windows or doors. - Save Space:
In addition to being cost-effective and convenient, wall-mounted heaters are great space savers. Because they are directly attached to a wall, they leave you with more floor space. This is the main reason why this type of heater is an optimal choice for individuals living in smaller spaces. - Easy to Install & Maintain:
Wall heaters are easy to install and replace, and repairs are typically minimal. Installation is typically very easy. Just remember to attach it to a stud in the wall, and not just the sheet-rock. If something needs to be repaired, you can easily take it down and make the necessary repairs.
Central air systems are the most common heating and cooling systems in found in homes. However, there are a different options when it comes to keeping comfortable temperatures in the home if it does not have a central unit. One of those systems being the wall heater, which is commonly found in older style homes, studios or small apartments. So, what is a wall heater and what can you do to make sure it functions to its full potential? Here are some things to consider:
1. What is a wall heater and how does it work?
Wall heaters are units installed in or attached directly to the wall and most of the time controlled by a thermostat. They are most commonly used in studio apartments, compact living spaces and smaller offices, because they generate a good amount of heat suitable for keeping small areas warm, yet don’t take up any valuable floor space. There are two types of wall heaters. The single-wall heater is designed to heat one room at a time. The double wall heater is perfectly designed to heat up 2 rooms at a time, generating more heat at once.
2. How Do I Maintenance my wall heater?
Right before fall season starts, we recommend to have the wall heater maintenance so that it functions at its highest efficiency on those cold days and nights. If you plan on doing it yourself, make sure the unit is off before doing anything. Once on “OFF” you must dust the pilot light and/or any part of the coils and vents so that no dust particles obstruct the heat flow. You can always call your local HVAC technician and request a maintenance call.
3. My wall heater is not working.
Depending on how old you wall heater unit is, you may still encounter some small issues.
- The Pilot turning off is one of the simple fixes. The heater won’t operate properly if the pilot flickers, or is too weak. Sometimes dust blocks the pilot from igniting, and all you have to do is clean it and turn it back on. Another cause of a weak pilot is a faulty thermocouple. The thermocouple is a heat sensor next to the pilot flame that signals the gas valve to stay open when the flame is burning.
- Gas Valve. A gas valve is a component of your wall heaters gas system. The gas valve opens and closes, which allows the flow of gas to the pilot light and burner. When the gas valve is defective or needs replacement, the unit will not turn on. The communication between the thermostat and the pilot light get cut off if the main component to distribute the gas is nonfunctional.
- Heat Exchangers. The heat exchanger is the component that heats air. It is a set of metal tubes or coils that connects to the burner assembly and ends at the vent or flue pipe. Air and gas are separated within the heat exchanger to prevent mixing and exposure to harmful combustion byproducts, such as carbon monoxide. If there is not enough heat coming out of your heater, and the setting on the thermostat is at its highest, then the heat exchanger may have to be replaced. Cracked heat exchangers pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning – carbon monoxide is produced by combustion but is typically vented safely from the vent out of the home, but if the heat exchanger is cracked, carbon monoxide can leak into the home.
-Signs your heat exchanger may be cracked or damaged include:
-Rust on the heat exchanger
-Visible cracks
-Flickering or moving burner flames
-Odors resembling formaldehyde
-Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure, including disorientation, nausea, and irritation of the nose or eyes.
These are just some of the many issues that come about not having regular service on your wall heater. Your local HVAC technician can diagnose any of these issues on time before the repair becomes too costly. For more information, or to set up an appointment with one of our professionals, give us a call at (818)308-8388 or email us at service@goairinc.com