What is a Gas Wall Furnace?

What is a gas wall furnace? A gas wall furnace is basically just what it says it is- a gas powered heating unit which sits in or against the wall aiding in the heat of your home. This part is important. The gas wall furnace is really not meant to become your primary heating source. That is what your regular furnace is for. This is simply used as a supplementary heating source.

A gas wall furnace works especially well for a part of your home which isn’t reached very easily by your primary furnace. Is there one room in your home which is generally very cold? Then this is most likely the best solution for you. Think about the size of this room before purchasing anything. Usually, the size of the heater will directly correlate with the size of your room.

Your wall furnace can be permanent or portable. This option may be of use if the room you need to heat is very large. The heating unit may be bulky and would be able to be moved in the summer. A permanent gas wall furnace is connected permanently to your home;s gas lines so you will never have to worry about the gas. A portable one will probably have to be fed gas, very much like your lawn mower does.

A gas wall furnace is also a great idea if you are planning to put in an addition for your home. Instead of having to go out and get a new, bigger furnace for your whole home and also rerouting every one of your HVAC vents, you can simply install a gas wall furnace into one of the rooms in the addition. Another idea for an addition is a 2-sided gas wall furnace. This will heat 2 different adjoining rooms by using both sides of the heater to heat.

You can get a vented or an unvented model depending on your own liking. Most furnaces which are controlled by an electric thermostat are vented. Also, permanent wall heaters are also commonly vented. A vent is usually there in order to filter the dangerous carbon monoxide out. Therefore, a vented heater is usually considered much safer. Although the unvented ones are not necessarily unsafe. Most of them now come with an additional feature called an oxygen depletion sensor which will let it and you know when the carbon monoxide levels have reached too high.

Gas wall furnaces range in price considerably depending on the brand, the size and the features of your furnace. You can get one for as inexpensive as $300 (though it is rare…) or for as much as $3000. Make sure you get what your home needs. Some people may only need to temporarily heat a very small space-then it is probably okay to go with an inexpensive one. But for a permanent installation in a large family room? You will most likely want one which costs a bit more. Usually with these, higher price equals higher quality.

How to Change Your Gas Wall Furnace Filter

The most vital appliance in any house is the furnace, especially during the cold winter months. However, most homeowners know little about them. In older homes, furnaces look like some sort of space relic from the cold war era. All that most people know how to do is change the thermostat setting and enjoy the warm refuge from the bitter cold. However, these misunderstood metal boxes that emit heat are really quite sophisticated machines. This is especially true of the smaller gas wall furnaces that are often used as a supplement to the main furnace in a home. These little furnaces serve a big purpose, but are often not properly maintained. Gas wall furnace filters should be checked fairly often.

Gas wall furnaces are smaller units that are often used to heat home additions that have no duct work connected to the main furnace. They are a separate entity that is usually installed into the wall of the addition itself. These furnaces come in two versions, vented or unvented. Venting assures that a fresh air return exists. This significantly cuts down on the possibility of carbon monoxide entering the room, which can be deadly. Until recently, unvented units were susceptible to this problem. The newer models now have much safer designs.

Gas wall furnaces have a source of gas that must be fed into the heater itself. These units have virtually no connection to the gas lines of the main furnace of a home. If the wall furnace is natural gas, then a line must be ran from the gas source directly to the heating unit. However, some propane gas wall units have a tank that can be detached and refilled as needed.

Any wall furnace should be cleaned at least annually. Prior to beginning the cleaning process, it is important to make sure that the unit has been shut off. Then the service panel can be opened to access the inside of the vent and the area where the gas wall furnace filter sits. The filter is usually a square frame that has a meshy material on the inside. Cleaning the filter off thoroughly is imperative to nice pure air and efficient operation. The best way to clean the filter adequately is to use a rag with non-toxic cleaning solution. Before replacing the filter, a deep cleaning of the airblower is also a good idea. When complete, the filter can be replaced and the service panel re-fitted. Testing the heater to assure proper operation is recommended as well.

How to Clean Your Gas Wall Furnace

It is important for all individuals who own a gas wall furnace to know how to go about cleaning it, as the cleanliness of the furnace reflects how well it will work and how much fuel will be required to get it to start up. Many people do not realize how often they should clean their furnaces. Experts warn that owners of gas wall furnaces should clean them at least once a year, usually prior to having to use them for the cold months.

It is important, also, for the owners to have their air ducts checked regularly (i.e., two to three times a month). Air filters should be changed often, too, especially when it looks gross and nasty. During winter, it is important to change the filter every three to four weeks. Knowing how to go about cleaning the furnace is of the utmost importance, though.

First, unlock and open up the furnace doors: obviously, make sure that the appliance with which you are working is turned off and that all gases are not working. Turn off the power box that is associated with the furnace, and then open the service panel. Use a dry towel or sleeve to wipe off all the surfaces, and use vacuum cleaners, as they are permitted as long as nothing can be detrimental to your health.

Second, purify the filters: find the filter (i.e., square object with strings attached to it that is used to make sure the air quality is safe and purified). After finding the filter, it is time to clean it off. Thus, remove the filter and apply some form of cleaning material to a rag and scrub the filter moderately for a few minutes. Let the filter dry, and then attach it back to the area it originally was.

The third important task is cleaning the air blower. This is an easy task, in that all an individual has to do is remove the blower, clean it off with a dry towel or rag (including the blades), and place it back into the furnace. Make sure to use a sweeper to clean up any debris around the furnace before placing the blower back into the furnace, though.

Finally, it is time to replace the service panel: make sure everything around the furnace is tidy, and then go ahead and turn the furnace on. Always make sure the furnace is clean! Thus, cleaning a gas wall furnace may seem difficult, but the steps can be simple if an individual applies simple steps to solve the task at hand

Propane Wall Heater

If you need a new heater for your home, you may want to consider a propane wall heater. These are great for smaller spaces, like a patio, or partially finished basement, because they will heat the room efficiently, and not take up too much space. You also will not have to reroute your current heating system, should you already have one.

A propane wall heater is much more eco friendly than an electric one. It uses less energy and the fuel costs less than electricity does. So, you will be getting more bang for your buck. You may have to pay a bit more up front, but it is worth it to not skyrocket your electric bill. This is especially true if you already have a propane tank or propane delivery to your home. If you don’t it is relatively easy and inexpensive to set up. Simply find out where your neighbors get their propane from and give them a call.

A propane wall heater will generally be installed on or near the floor. You can get certain kinds which you can install higher up if you are worried about pets or children getting burned by the heat. You can get a propane wall heater in a wide variety of styles, so you can easily find one which matches your room. If not, check the manual, you may be able to paint it prior to installation, simply make sure that you use the right type of paint.

A propane wall heater can be installed by yourself if you are comfortable with basic tools and working with the gas (aka turning it OFF). If you aren’t, which is totally undertsandable, then you can usually get it installed for free or inexpensive by the company you buy it from. If you buy it online or from a company which doesn’t offer this service, then you can call any general contractor and they will generally do it for a rather inepensive price.

Basic Furnace Maintenance

When you own a home, you are forced to take care of lots of issues you may not know anything about. For instance, your furnace. What happens if you have a problem with your furnace? Do you have any idea what to do with it? Most people, especially new homeowners have no idea what to do with a furnace. So this article is to help you figure out how to do basic maintenance for your furnace.

If your furnace is not working, the first thing you should check is if it is turned on. This seems obvious, but it can be hard to tell if your furnace is turned on. First, you need to check your breaker box. It is very possible that the breaker for the furnace has turned itself off. The breaker should be clearly labeled “Furnace”, if there is none, call an electrician to figure it out for you. Playing with the breakers is not recommended. Once you find the breaker, turn it ON.

Find the furnace switch. This might be hard to find. Check the furnace room, the ceiling, and the bottom of your basement stairs. Switch this into the On position. Check and set your thermostat. After you have made sure everything is on, make sure you are set to heat and choose your optimal temperature. This depends on your comfort and whether you wish to save money on energy costs. Generally, people set their heat anywhere from 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another skill you will need to know is how to change your furnace filter. You can pay someone to do this, but it is so easy that this is usually a huge waste of money. You furnace will work much more efficiently if its filter is consistently cleaned. Carefully open the rack to your furnace. Take out the filter. Slide it out gently! Take a good look at it. Does it look dirty or discolored? If so, you will want to replace it. Place a new filter in the furnace, the same way you removed this one.

Different Types of Gas Space Heaters

There are many homes, especially older ones, where the heat from your furnace does not necessarily warm up the entire home. This can be a real issue, especially in colder climates. If you are experiencing this problem, or perhaps have no heat at all, you have several options. These include semi-permanent heaters (usually in-wall heaters) and temporary heaters (space heaters).

One type of semi-permanent heater is the gas wall furnace. This heater is installed into your wall and runs off of natural gas or liquid propane. This is a great option for larger rooms which do not get heat on a consistent basis. This is an inexpensive and economic route to go, as gas heaters are usually cheaper. You can also get a decorative gas wall furnace if you choose.

A natural gas space heater is another option for you. This is a more temporary option. This is good if you have simply lost heat in a room for a limited period of time. These are cheaper and more efficient than electric space heaters. There are several different heaters which go under this category:

Natural gas radiant heater-These work well in large areas. These have a heating element whcih is in contact withthe air in all directions. The air is heated as it comes into contact with the heating elements. Withthis heater, you may want to use a fan to help the air circulate so all of the air gets warmed.

Forced air propane heater–These use a fan to distrbute air into an area. This can make them a bit noisy. These also require additional maintenence becasue you need to clean the dust off of the fans.
Natural gas convection heater– These heaters use heating coils which warm the air via contact, thus not warming the actual heater. This is a good choice for those with children, as the kiddies cannot burnt hemselves on it.