The colder months are upon us and staying warm and cozy at home can present its own challenges. While drinking hot beverages and wearing your favorite coat are good ways to beat the cold, won’t it be nice if you have supplemental heat to help you stay warm? Sure, you can turn up the heat but you don’t really want your heating bills to skyrocket. In that case, heated wall panels might just be the heating solution you need to stay warm and cozy at home.
Let’s take a closer look at how heat wall-mounted panels can keep your home warm and if they are safe to use.
What are Heated Wall Panels?
Wall heating panels are a type of heating solution that is attached or installed directly to a wall. They are usually used in smaller or compact living spaces such as small rooms, offices and studio apartments. Radiant heat panels provide sufficient, adjustable warmth while hanging conveniently on a wall. This saves plenty of valuable floor space when compared to other types of conventional heating system.
Wall-mounted panels are typically made of aluminum and electrically heated. Radiant heaters provide heat via the space’s walls, floors and even ceilings, and only indirectly warm the adjacent air. While radiant heating systems are widely used to warm indoor spaces and localized areas (e.g. bathroom wall heater), there are high-end businesses that use radiant heat to warm outdoor spaces such as patios.
Advantages of Heated Wall Panels
The surge in popularity of wall-mounted heating panels is warranted. Here are the top reasons why these panels are a worthy investment:
Fastest Response Time
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, radiant heating panels have the fastest response time out of any other heating technologies. Upon entering the room and setting the temperature, you can get comfortable within minutes. Since the panels are controlled independently from every room, the fast response time can lead to cost and energy savings. This also means that you may only heat rooms that you actually occupy as opposed to warming every room in the house.
Radiant Heat is Energy Efficient
According to home improvement TV host Bob Vila, radiant heating systems have many energy-efficient advantages over the traditional heating systems. Due to this efficiency, you may set your thermostat 4° to 5° Fahrenheit lower than conventional heaters. By lowering your settings, you can expect a noticeable difference to your monthly utility bills, especially during colder months. However, you should make sure that your home has proper insulation to take advantage of Eco heater’s efficiency.
Healthier Heating Solution
Traditional forced-air heating systems circulate air through the home’s ducts and vents. This also means that particles such as dust, mold spores, fumes and pet dander are also distributed throughout the space. In contrast, radiant heaters do not circulate air at all which don’t contribute in keeping known allergen’s airborne. This means better home quality inside the home – a good consideration if you have adults or children who suffer from sensitive conditions like allergies and asthma.
Minimal Visible Components
Not only are radiators, registers, vents and baseboards unsightly, they also take up valuable space which could be used for furniture, decorations and other usage. These components also need additional maintenance and cleaning since they tend to gather dust and other particles. On the other hand, an envi heater doesn’t have any visible components aside from zoning valves and the boiler.
There are even high-end panels that are available in various styles and sophisticated designs that add beauty and elegance to an area.
Easy Installation and Maintenance
Heated wall panels can be easily installed to a wall vertically or horizontally. Installation is a breeze and involves finding a stud in the wall. Uninstalling the panel is just as easy which comes in handy when making necessary repairs.
Are Wall-Mounted Heaters Safe?
When using one of these heating systems, the most obvious safety concern is fire hazards. Although these systems don’t utilize flames and gasses, a fire hazard is a possibility. Due to the intense heat emitted from the coils, it’s best to place the unit away from anything that can catch fire. Below are some examples:
- Furniture: A nearby couch or curtain can suffocate the heater and may result in overheating. Not only does this affect the heat output, the furniture becomes too hot and catches fire.
- Blown fuses: Check regularly for faulty or damaged wiring and make sure that the power source is working properly. Blown fuses will cause the heater to overheat and result in a fire.
- Combustibles: Objects like blankets, linens, pillows, rags, newspapers, magazines and other items should be kept as far away from the wall heater.
Are Heated Wall Panels for You?
Whether you want to cut down on your utility bills or prefer an alternative to conventional heating systems, wall-mounted heaters are a good heating solution for small homes, apartments and offices. These heaters have its fair share of advantages over conventional models which make them a worthy investment. Clearly, they are not for everyone but they’re certainly a reliable option for keeping your home warm and cozy during colder months.
Shopping for a new electric wall heater? You should take a look at BestElectricFireplaces.net for reviews of the top electric wall heaters that money can buy.