Learn Whether Cove Heaters Are Right for You
As winter approaches and energy costs continue rising, many homeowners look for efficient, cost-effective ways to warm their living spaces. One heating system growing in popularity is the cove heater, a type of electric radiant heater recessed into walls or ceilings that provides targeted warmth to people and objects below. But are cove heating systems right for you? Understanding how they work and key pros and cons will help you decide if a cove heater should be your next home heating investment.
How Do Cove Heaters Work?
Cove heaters, also known as high wall heaters or perimeter heaters, work differently than forced air and baseboard convection heaters that warm the surrounding air. Instead, they utilize infrared radiant heat to warm people and objects directly by line-of-sight contact. Mounted high on walls or recessed into ceilings, cove heaters distribute heat coverage in a targeted zone below the unit, ideal for providing personalized warmth to smaller, concentrated spaces.
Radiant Heating Technology
The heart of a cove heater is its radiant heating element, often a long metal tube or wire powered by electricity or natural gas. As it heats up, it emits infrared electromagnetic waves that get absorbed by solid objects like floors, furniture, and your body when standing underneath. This efficient directed heat transfer avoids warming an entire room of air for more energy savings.
Heating People and Objects
Unlike convection heating systems that rely on circulating hot air, radiant cove heaters work by directly heating up the people, surfaces, and objects in a room. You feel this warmth directly when absorbing the infrared waves and through conduction when touching warmed floors and furniture. This provides immediate comfort heating without waiting for air temperature to rise.
Focused Heating Capabilities
Because cove heaters distribute heat from a fixed direction above, they excel at heating concentrated spaces right below the unit, like small bedrooms or bathrooms. This focused heating capability differs from a forced air furnace that tries warming your whole home with diffused airflow. So if you want targeted spot heating or warmer floors, a cove heater offers advantages.
Benefits of Cove Heaters
Cove heating systems offer unique benefits, from increased energy efficiency to faster and more flexible warming capabilities best utilized in smaller spaces. Key perks include:
Energy Efficiency and Savings
Cove heaters can reduce overall heating costs by up to 20 percent compared to forced air systems. Radiating heat right where you need it avoids overheating unused rooms or wasting energy warming air. Combining cove heaters with smart programmable thermostats boosts efficiency further by customizing the times and temperatures you heat.
Compact, Wall-Mounted Design
Recessed into ceilings or mounted high on walls, cove heaters conveniently tuck away without taking up functional floor space like bulky convection heaters. Their out-of-sight design also avoids cluttering room aesthetics or interrupting furniture placement.
Immediate and Customizable Comfort
Cove heating systems offer faster warmth than heating an entire room of air thanks to direct infrared waves absorbed by your body. Coupled with adjustable thermostats found on most models, you can easily fine-tune temperatures for personalized comfort that warms floors while keeping furniture nice and toasty.
Potential Drawbacks to Consider
While cove heaters present unique advantages, some limitations are worth noting before installing them:
Limited Heating Range
The directed heating capability that makes cove heaters so efficient also restricts the warmth coverage zone right below the unit. So they work best for single rooms instead of whole home heating, unless you install multiple units.
No Residual Heat
One advantage of forced air and convection heating is residual warmth that remains after turning the system off. But infrared cove heaters provide warmth only while powered on. Once switched off, residual heat dissipates quickly.
Higher Upfront Costs
Considering most homes lack existing cove heating infrastructure, installation costs can present a hurdle, especially if wiring, framing, drywall work or an electrician are required. Units alone can cost over $1000 too, though future energy savings typically offset this over time.
Ideal Applications for Cove Heaters
Cove heaters work best for: targeted spot heating smaller spaces like bedrooms, bathrooms, entryways or laundry rooms. Some ideal uses cases include:
Warming Small, Well-Insulated Rooms
Bathrooms, laundry rooms and bedrooms often need just localized heating you use only at certain times of day. Cove heaters shine for efficiently warming these insulated small spaces without overheating your whole home.
Heating Entryways and Drafty Areas
Mount a cove heater in your foyer or above doors prone to cold drafts during winter. This provides a warm welcome while preventing icy breezes from penetrating further indoor.
Outdoor Heating for Patios and Porches
Thanks to durable construction and waterproof designs, many cove heaters work great for extending outdoor living spaces during cooler weather. Place one under your patio cover for warmth on chilly evenings.
Key Considerations Before Installing
Keep these factors in mind when deciding if cove heaters suit your space:
Room Size and Insulation
Cove heaters perform best in smaller, well-insulated rooms around 150-250 square feet. Larger spaces may require multiple units for even heating.
Mounting Location and Direction
Proper placement above your primary location for absorbing radiant warmth is key. Additionally, factors like room layout, heat-loss areas and airflow impact performance.
Operating Efficiency and Costs
While cove heaters use less energy for targeted warming, heating elements and thermostat settings impact costs. Analyze insulation, new unit efficiency ratings and utility rates to estimate expenses.
Safety and Building Codes
Consult local regulations before installing to ensure compliance with building codes and electric standards for safety. Improper wiring can present fire and electrocution risks.
New Innovations in Cove Heater Technology
Advancements in cove heater capabilities cater to increased consumer demand for convenience, energy savings and custom comfort. Some latest innovations include:
Smart WiFi-Enabled Heaters
New cove heater models connect to home WiFi for app and voice control through Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, allowing remote temperature adjustments and scheduling.
Improved Efficiency and Sustainability
From lightweight designs using eco-friendly materials to next-gen heating elements extracting more heat per energy unit consumed, efficiency continues improving.
Enhanced Comfort Features
From customizable warmth zoning to sensors automatically adjusting output based on room occupancy, the latest cove heaters smartly heat only occupied areas to required comfort levels.
FAQs About Cove Heating Systems
Homeowners considering cove heaters often have additional questions like:
How Much Does a Cove Heater System Cost?
With professional installation, project costs often range $2,500 - $4,000 depending on unit performance, controls, wiring complexity and construction needs.
Can I Control Multiple Cove Heaters Separately?
Yes, adding zone control modules from the same manufacturer allows customizing each unit's temperature individually with smartphone apps or central hubs.
What Maintenace Do Cove Heaters Require?
Cove heaters need little annual maintenance beyond occasional dust removal and air filter cleaning if equipped. Units last over 15 years with proper installation and voltage usage.
In general, cove heating brings unique advantages like energy efficiency, custom comfort and zone heating flexibility useful for many homeowners and living spaces.
Key questions to ask yourself are:
- Will a single cove heater suffice, or do you require warming multiple rooms?
- Is professional installation feasible given layout and budget?
- Can you position the heater to directly heat your usual location?
Considering these factors and weighing the radiant warmth benefits against potential installation and coverage limitations allows determining if cove heaters suit your home heating situation cost-effectively.