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An electric wall furnace is a hard-wired heater that sits in or on the wall and heats a single room or area. It is useful when you do not want to run new ducts or extend the main system. Below is what to check before buying or replacing one.
An electric wall furnace is a permanent electric heater that sits in or on the wall and connects to its own electrical circuit. It does not burn fuel, so it does not need a gas line or a flue. A flue is the vent pipe that fuel-burning heaters use to send combustion gases outdoors. Because an electric wall furnace makes heat without combustion, there are no exhaust gases to vent. That makes it easier to add in finished spaces such as room additions, offices over garages, small apartments, or a back bedroom that the main system does not heat well.
Most homeowner guides put electric wall heater installation in the $400 to $1,200 range for the unit plus basic labor. Costs go up if:
A quick site quote will tell you which of those apply to you.
Start with the room, not the heater. Measure the length and width and get the square footage. Then look at the sizing table from the manufacturer. Most brands give a watts- or BTU-per-square-foot range. A tight, well-insulated room can use the lower end. A room over a garage, or with a lot of glass, needs the higher end. Choose the model that covers the room on a normal cold day, not the smallest one on the list. If you are unsure, tell the installer the room size, ceiling height, and whether the room is on an outside wall. These three details are enough for them to pick the right size.
Wall furnaces are installed in occupied rooms, so safety features need to be in place.
After it is installed, keep to the manual: correct circuit, no extension cords, and nothing leaning on the grille. That is what keeps these heaters safe to run every day.
Electric wall furnaces turn electricity into heat right where you need it, so there is no flue loss and no duct loss. All the heat stays in the room. The tradeoff is cost per kilowatt-hour in your area. In places where electricity is expensive, running a wall heater all day in every room can cost more than running a central gas furnace.
They make the most sense for:
Remember: They are not meant to replace a whole central heating system. They are not intended to heat an entire large house on their own. Use them to fill in cold spots and let the main system handle the rest.
The wall furnace heats that one room, but your central system still handles the other spaces. That system needs a snug, correctly sized filter so dust does not build up.
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It is a fixed, hard-wired electric heater that sits in or on the wall and heats one room. It does not use gas and does not need a flue.
No. There is no combustion, so there are no exhaust gases to vent. That is why it is easier to add to finished rooms.
Measure the room and use the maker’s sizing chart. Rooms over garages, rooms with a lot of glass, or rooms on exterior walls often need the higher end of the suggested range.
Because it is hard-wired, many people have an electrician or HVAC installer do it, especially if a new circuit is needed.
Look for overheat/high-limit shutoff, a thermostat, a safety listing (UL or similar), and clearances in the manual. Keep that space clear.
They convert electricity to heat in the room, so there is no duct or flue loss. Actual operating cost depends on your electric rate.
They are mainly for spot or room heating. Use them for areas the central system does not reach well.
No. The wall unit itself does not take a standard HVAC filter. If you also have central HVAC, that system still needs a fitted pleated filter.
Wipe the grille, keep the front clear, and follow the maker’s maintenance schedule. Have wiring or repairs done by a qualified person.
Additions, bonus rooms, small apartments, and rooms far from the main system.
