Wall Heater Installation and Repair
We meet a lot of homeowners, including those who’ve just moved to the San Diego area. One thing we hear is “I love how SoCal never gets cold!” But if you’ve lived here for a while, you know we do have a winter. If you’ve acclimated to the local climate, pretty soon you may start feeling 49° weather is cold enough.
For some, a wall heater is the best solution to stay toasty. The Premo Electric team can install and repair wall heaters.
What is a wall heater?
A wall heater is a gas heater that mounts right on the wall. It’s meant to warm a single room. If you have an apartment with an old radiator a wall heater is a nice energy-efficient replacement.
Some people choose to install wall heaters even if they have HVAC systems with central heat. A few reasons you might install a wall heater:
- You’re building a new room. A wall heater for that single room is much more cost-effective than routing the HVAC system all the way into the new room or addition.
- At least one person in your household is always cold. Instead of fighting over the thermostat, just place a wall heater in the room where he or she spends the most time. Your frosty loved one will be comfortable, and you won’t have to live in a sauna (or pay to heat your home like one).
- You want a little supplemental, energy-efficient heat. For example, you dutifully run the thermostat at 68° to save energy, which may be fine during the day, but at night you aren’t comfortable. Heating your bedroom with a wall heater lets you leave your thermostat alone, keeping your electric bill low.
Wall heaters can accomplish all that far better than a space heater can. Space heaters take up floor space. They can cause fire, become tripping hazards, and they’re rarely energy-efficient.
Why can’t I install my own wall heater?
Wall heaters are gas heaters, and it’s dangerous to install any gas appliance unless you are a trained and licensed professional. It’s also dangerous to run wiring if you’re not an electrician. A wall heater installation will require wiring.
Then there’s the likelihood you’ll cause brown-outs or tripped circuits in your home. Making sure your wall heater doesn’t overburden your home’s power load is one reason you want a pro.
Are wall heaters safe?
Like most appliances, a properly-installed wall heater is safe if you use it correctly.
The big thing to watch out for is space. You want to make sure all furniture, flammables, curtains, curtains, and other objects are all at least three feet from the heater. There won’t be open flames, but the heating element does reach temperatures high enough to cause fires if you don’t give your wall heater some room.
How much does it cost to install or repair a wall heater?
Repairs are difficult to quantify, but if a repair would ever cost more than the cost to replace your heater we’ll tell you so. Installation usually runs between $400 and $600, and the heater should last eight to twelve years. Chances are you’ll recoup the costs in energy savings alone.
Interested in getting a quote for a wall heater installation? Got a wall heater that’s on the fritz? Contact Premo Electric for a free estimate.
Read Karen H.‘s review of Premo Electric on Yelp
