September 8 2022

Convector type heaters: advantages and features of the choice

In the cold season, you can not do without additional heating. In this regard, convector heaters are increasingly in demand. They are silent, compact, efficient and will fit perfectly into both home and office interiors. Let’s figure out what the advantages of such heaters are and what characteristics of the device matter in order to choose the option that suits you.

Modern convector type heaters fit perfectly into the environment and do not take up much space

How convector heaters work: design and principles of operation

The principle of operation of a convector heater is simple and is based on the physical properties of the air. The temperature of the air affects its density. So, cold air is heavier, because it accumulates at the bottom, closer to the floor. The warm air is lighter, because it tends upwards to the ceiling.

In the wall-mounted convector heater, there are special openings at the top and bottom through which air passes. The air enters the unit through the lower slit, the device heats it, after which the warm and, consequently, lighter air exits through the upper slit and rises to the ceiling.

Construction of a floor convector heater

Thus, the convector is designed to heat and direct air flows in the room. To do this, there is a heating element in its housing. The heater body is made of metal 0.8 mm thick to increase the efficiency of operation. The case itself is not wide, which allows the convector not to take up much space in the room. The heater is powered by the mains.

In order for you to influence the degree of heating of the room, a convector-type heater thermostat is provided. To set the temperature mode, just use the handle or button on the external panel of the device.

Pros and cons of convector heaters

Convectors quickly warm up the room. Most of them work silently, and the efficiency of particularly efficient models reaches 99%. The warranty period for convectors is 10 years, while often the life of the heater is 20-30 years. Convectors are completely safe to use, while it is easy to find a good price for a convector heater.

Electric heaters of convector type are economical in use

At the same time, it is worth considering that the convector is good for heating a small area of the room. Over time, its speed and heating power drop, and during operation, the heater dries the air and raises fine dust. Also remember that the operation of a convector heater is energy-consuming, although some models are able to reduce electricity consumption and help you save money.

Useful advice! If you plan to use the convector for the entire cold season, it makes sense to install it on the wall. If you take out the device only during the cold snap, it is better to give preference to a floor convector on wheels.

Comparison of electric wall-mounted convectors with a thermostat and oil heaters

The oil heater has long remained the most popular type for home heating. Let’s figure out whether it’s worth switching to convector devices and why.

Parameter	Oil heater	Convector
Economy	It is uneconomical.	It costs a lot of electricity, but in comparison with oil it is more economical by 25%.
Heating speed	Depends on the model. Long in the case of a conventional model, fast – if the model is equipped with a fan.	Fast warm-up, well suited for small-area rooms.
Ease of operation	Average.	It is convenient to use both floor and wall convectors.
Safety	A low level of safety, violation of operating rules can lead to an explosion. When using a model that is not equipped with a protective casing, it is easy to get burned.	The surface of the device does not heat up to high temperatures, so the convector can be safely left unattended.
Durability	Average.	High, is 10-30 years old.
Environmental friendliness	It does not affect the humidity level in the room.	Convection leads to the rise of fine dust.

Thus, having similar minor disadvantages, convectors are significantly superior to oil heaters in terms of safety, efficiency, convenience and service life. Therefore, in an effort to choose a suitable heater today, more and more people prefer a better convector heater for the home.

Comparison of micathermal and convector heaters: what is better to choose

The choice between a micro-thermal heater and a convector depends on the purpose of the device. The main advantages of convector units are the ability to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the room. This is relevant when it comes to a residential apartment or office. If it is necessary to heat a large workshop or a spacious production room with drafts, the convector is ineffective, since it will distribute cold air and the action will be directly opposite to what was conceived. In this case, a micro-thermal heater is relevant.

Thus, it cannot be said that any of the types of equipment is worse – they have a different scope of application. If you choose a heater for your home or office, a convector will be the best option.

How to buy the best convector heater: types of convectors

The most popular type of convector is electric, but there are several varieties of this equipment. Convective infrared is distinguished by the heating principle: they affect objects – walls, furniture, floor. Due to the maintenance of a comfortable temperature and humidity level, the air does not dry out, which creates a healthy microclimate in the room. A significant disadvantage of such a convector is the high cost.

Convection infrared heater

Film wall convectors, consisting of an insulating film and a heating element, are easy to hang on the wall or remove and roll up. They are very effective, but extremely short-lived. The service life of such a device is up to 3 years.

Gas heaters effectively warm up the room even more, are simple and safe to operate, eco-friendly and convenient. However, for the operation of such a convector, a gas source is needed, as well as connection to a chimney or hood, which significantly narrows the scope of application of this equipment.

The principle of operation of water convectors is based on a central heating system. Such a heater can be floor-mounted, wall-mounted and even built under the floor or into the walls. Such a convector is safe, convenient and durable, but it is able to heat an area of up to 10 m2, and the warm air from such a device is distributed unevenly. Therefore, this type of convectors is most often used in swimming pools and small rooms with an extensive glazing area.

Floor convectors powered by central heating

Useful advice! To choose the type of convector that suits you without overpayments, determine the scope of use of the heater. If your goals do not include systematic heating of a large house or heating of a swimming pool, there is no point in installing a gas heater or embedding a water facade – it is enough to get an electric one.

Types of heating elements of electric heating convectors with a thermostat
The heating element is the most important part of the convector, because it depends on it how effectively your apartment or office will warm up. There are several types of heating elements:

ribbon, or needle. Such a heating element is a narrow dielectric plate with loops of nickel and chromium alloy on both sides. The main disadvantage of this design is the fragility of these loops. Due to the ease of damage, tape heating elements are almost not used by modern manufacturers. In addition, this design does not provide for the presence of ribs, as a result, the convector body is heated first, and after it there is a movement of warm air. This principle of warming up does not differ in speed and efficiency;
tubular heating element – TEN. This is the most popular type of convector heaters for home and office. Its device is simple: there are aluminum ribs along the entire length of the heater tube. The heat transfer of the device is directly proportional to the size and frequency of the location of the ribs;

Advantages of TEN	Disadvantages of TEN
Much lower tube temperature compared to the nichrome thread inside it.	The difference in temperature expansion of aluminum plates and steel tube causes a small crackling accompanying the operation of the device.
Long service life. Uninterrupted operation in rooms with high humidity – in this case, the IP24 protection class is relevant.	As the device works, the space between the ribs and the steel tube increases, which leads to heat loss.

monolithic heating element. It is basically similar to a TEN: a nichrome thread is located in a cast aluminum housing, and the heat transfer is provided by the ribs on the housing. But as an insulator, a backfill from a dielectric is used here. Thus, the difference in temperature expansion, leading to heat loss in the heating element, is leveled. As a result, the efficiency of the monolithic heating element is maximum. The device body of such a convector almost does not heat up, and the work is quiet. The principle of operation of the unit is as follows: the hollow body acts as a wind tunnel, as the air heats up, thrust is created in it. As a result, cold air continuously enters the switched-on convector, is converted into hot air and flows upwards, and all the air in the room is systematically warmed up.

Useful advice! When buying a wall-mounted convector heater, be sure to ask about the type of its heating element. This way you can predict in advance the effectiveness of its work and possible problems.

Convector type heaters: types and features

Electric convector heaters can be floor, wall and baseboard. Floor and wall convectors are usually up to 45 cm high, but baseboards are usually no higher than 25 cm, but much longer – the length of such a convector can reach 2.5 m.

Floor baseboard electric convector

Electric heaters of convector type are installed on the floor or on the wall. The choice of its type depends on where you want to place the device. If you want to put a heater under the window opening, take a closer look at the baseboard convectors. You can move them from place to place with the help of a handle and wheels. Due to the length, frequent movement of the baseboard convector is not always convenient, but you can be sure that the air in the lower part of the room will be well warmed up, and this is especially important when sitting at a computer and a cold parquet field.

If you want the unit not to take up space in the room, wall heaters of the convector type will suit you. This heater is mounted on the wall with the help of special brackets, compact and fits seamlessly into a modern interior.

What to pay attention to when buying an electric wall convector with a thermostat
A good convector will serve you for many years, so you should take the purchase seriously and choose a high-quality device. The following characteristics are important:

power. The choice of this parameter depends on the size of the room. For example, the area of your room is 19 m2, the ceiling height is 2.7 m. To heat 1 m3 of room, 25 watts of power is required. Thus, we multiply both digits by 25 and get 1285.5 watts. When rounding up, we get one and a half kilowatts – this is the heater power we need;
Useful advice! The calculation of 25 watts of power for heating 1 m3 of area is correct if you intend to use a convector for heating the house in the off-season, while the heating has already been turned off or has not yet been turned on. If there is no heating in the room at all, count based on 40 watts of power per 1 m3.
heating element and its type. The cast monolithic heater functions the longest and most efficiently;

For heating efficiency, it is necessary to choose a convector with a capacity for your room

dimensions. Altitude affects the speed of air movement. As a result, a small convector 60 cm high will warm up the room much faster than a tall one. If you have chosen a floor or baseboard heater, pay attention to its weight – after all, you may want to move it from place to place or one day you will need to repair the convector heater and will need to carry it to the master;
safety in use. It is clear that everyone strives to choose the most secure device. In the case of a convector, you should only worry about the absence of sharp corners in the unit. After all, one of the main advantages of convectors in the question of what is better, heaters or convector systems is that the convector is devoid of the risk of ignition. It will not burn the skin if accidentally touched, as it heats up to a maximum of 60 ° C, does not require grounding and copes with voltage fluctuations.;
additional options. When buying a convector type heater, which has useful features in addition to directly maintaining the desired temperature in the room, you will be able to control its operation mode.

Function	How to use
Temperature controller	You can always keep the room at a comfortable temperature. In the cold, you can unscrew the regulator to the maximum, and in the thaw, reduce the temperature.
Thermostat	Allows you to constantly maintain a set comfortable temperature in the room.
Timer	Allows you to turn on the heater and set the time of its automatic shutdown. Thus, you can put the convector on heating and go to sleep.
Ionizer	Absorbs dust and saturates the air with negative ions. The microclimate in the room becomes healthier, and your sleep improves and productivity increases.
Remote control	Makes it possible to turn on the heater at a distance.
Power-on timer	Allows you to set the device power-on time in advance. It is especially important on cold winter mornings when you want to get out from under the blanket into an already warmed room.
Rollover protection	It will help to avoid trouble if there are small children and pets in the house.

Useful advice! If people with respiratory diseases or allergies live or work in the room where the convector will be installed, take care of choosing a heater with the function of humidification and ionization of air.

Comparison of the best convector heaters from different companies

The products of each manufacturer have their own characteristics and the best lines.

The Norwegian company Nobo is especially known for the Oslo convector series. The peculiarity of these devices is the ability to accurately set the temperature regime and efficient operation with minimal energy costs. This way you can save on electricity.
The peculiarity of the heaters of the French company Applimo is the use of the Schwarz CV silumin heating element. As a result, the efficiency of the device is very high, besides, you can set the temperature regime with an accuracy of 0.5 ° C.
The European international company Neoclima makes heaters of the Dolce and Comfort series, designed specifically for rooms with an area of less than 20 m2. The temperature regime in them is regulated by automation, ensuring maximum safety and comfortable conditions.

Neoclima company has developed a line of convectors designed specifically for small rooms

It is not for nothing that the Ballu convector has earned customer reviews and recognition on the international market. This company from Hong Kong is known for its high-tech thermoregulators, and their products are also highly safe. The heating element of convector heaters balu is made of aluminum, and the X-shaped shape increases the working area and allows you to instantly warm up the room. Also, the devices of this company are distinguished by durability.
Not the last place in the rating of convector heaters is occupied by the products of the Czech company Saturn. Their advantage is diversity, because the range of heaters includes about twenty options.
Convector heaters of the Electric Suite are distinguished by silent operation and versatility: many models can be placed both on the floor and fixed on the wall.

Useful advice! Before you buy the model you like, read reviews about the selected convector heater. For example, the store often says that a particular model does not collect dust, although this is physically impossible – due to air circulation, dust inevitably gets into any convector. Thus, it is better to follow not advertising, but the experience of people who have experienced all the characteristics of the device in practice.

Floor heater models are often equipped with wheels for ease of movement

Prices of electric wall-mounted heating convectors with a thermostat, the cost of floor and universal models

The cost of the heater depends on its characteristics. A wall-mounted flexible convector will cost the most economically. As a rule, the price is directly proportional to the power of the device, although each company has economy options.

For example, the average Nobo model will cost twice as much as a similar Elektrolux model, while the Nobo heater from economy class may cost less than the products of democratic Watt WCH.

The price of the best convector heaters using infrared radiation is the highest. They do not dry the air and work on the principle of heating objects. Gas heaters are slightly cheaper, and water heaters are even more economical, the price of which is still several times higher than the cost of electric ones.

Be prepared for the fact that a truly effective and high-quality device will not be cheap. However, it will last for decades, so it makes sense to overpay for reliability in operation and effective heating of the room.

How to install and safely use Ballou convectors and heaters from other companies

After purchase, the convector must be fixed. In the case of wall models, the frame of the device is first attached to the wall, but if the convector is outdoor, it is necessary to fix the legs with wheels on the body. Instructions for installing the device are attached to each model.

Recommended standards for the placement of floor and wall heater structures

Please note that the lower edge of the convector housing should be no lower than 15 cm. Do not bring the device closer to the wall or any objects by more than 25 cm. The distance between the upper edge of the convector and any objects should not exceed 45 cm. All convectors have a fire safety system, and if the upper slit is accidentally closed by something, the automation will work and the device will simply turn off. Therefore, it is impossible to dry things on heaters, cover it with something or put a high convector under the window.

Useful advice! From time to time, the accumulated dust should also be removed from the heating element of the heater. To do this, use a vacuum cleaner with a narrow nozzle.

In the care of ceramic convector heaters and convectors of other types and unpretentious. Wipe the external panels of the unplugged appliance with a damp cloth from time to time. Before you start cleaning, make sure that the convector housing has cooled down.

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