Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Wall Heaters

  • By Andrew Martin
  • 10/01/19

Blustery days with chilling winds can cause heating problems in many facilities with high volumes of foot traffic. While the main rooms within the building may be warm from the primary heating source, many areas are left out in the cold as drafts bring the temperatures down. Vestibules, lobbies, entrance ways, and hallways can see a steady flow of people moving in and out throughout the day, opening doors and letting in chilly air.

In addition to open doors, cold air manages to find its way into facilities by any means necessary—whether it’s through vents, cracks, crevices or unsealed windows. To counteract these cold drafts, facilities should consider fan-forced wall heaters that provide continuous comfort through optimized airflow. Gentle heating sources are often not powerful enough to provide sufficient warmth in drafty areas. Fan-forced wall heaters however, push back on the infiltrating cold air, ensuring occupants feel the warmth as soon as they enter the building and until the moment they leave. These heating units can stop the drafts before they spread throughout a building, bringing down temperatures and reducing overall heating efficiency.

Fan-forced wall heaters with an automatic delay eliminate cold drafts on start-up and discharge residual heat from the heater body during shut down. This helps attack drafts at their source while making the best use of available heat. In addition, consider fan-forced wall heaters that come with an integrated thermostat allowing for easy adjustment of room temperature to maintain a desired comfort level.

As with any heating unit, it is imperative to select high-quality products that offer protection against common safety risks. In terms of general design, fan-forced wall heaters come with a clear, easily accessible power on/off switch for added safety during maintenance.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management October 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Andrew Martin is a product manager at Marley Engineered Products (www.marleymep.com), based in Bennettsville, SC.

Featured

  • Chartwells Launches Campus Dining Evaluation Framework

    Contract food-service management provider Chartwells Higher Education recently announced the launch of BLUEPRINT, according to a news release. The evaluation framework was designed to provide a data-driven and customizable roadmap towards optimizing campus dining services and, by extension, the student experience.

  • Miami University Approves New $242M Multipurpose Arena

    Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, recently announced that its Board of Trustees has approved construction of a new multipurpose arena at Cook Field, according to university news. The $242-million project will serve as a new centralized hub for student life and create space for economic development on campus.

  • UTampa Breaks Ground on STEM Academic Facility

    The University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., recently broke ground on one of its largest academic facilities ever, according to a news release. The Dickey Science Innovation Center will measure 153,000 square feet and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.