Aaron with Olson Electric swapped out cove heaters with Cadet's Apex72 electric wall heater on a recent project. He said he's happy with the cost savings and performance of the new heater.
Aaron with Olsen Electric created a dramatic reduction in the cost of parts and labor on one of his recent projects by using Cadet's Apex72 electric wall heater instead of cove heaters.
The exterior of 15 West in downtown Vancouver, Washington.
Like cove heaters, the Apex72 is designed to be installed high on the wall. Unlike cove heaters, the Apex72 has a fan to help circulate air around the room and you can get up to 1,600 watts in a 9-by-12" box, instead of an almost 10-foot-long cove heater.
Because of the switch to the Apex72, Aaron brought down the wattage and corresponding amperage, for the entire project, saving on both parts and labor cost. In fact, it led to an “exponential” reduction in cost of wiring.“It all adds up quickly when you’re working on a 120-unit project,” Aaron said.
| With 240-volt cove heat: | With 240-volt Apex72: |
|---|---|
| • 12-gauge wire • 20-amp circuits • multiple heaters per room | • 14-gauge wire • 15-amp circuits • one heater per room |
The Apex72, upper left, is designed to be installed at least 6-feet above the floor, freeing up living space.
In addition to helping Olson Electric save on cost and reduced amp draw, the heaters benefit future residents by:
- providing more livable floor space for furniture placement
- the electronic thermostat (required with Apex72) is easy to use, and far more accurate than mechanical thermostats
- blending into the room
"Cove heat would be the only comparable thing to this heater, and when you look at the pros and cons, it's not really that comparable," he said.
Olson Electric also used the Apex72 at 13 West, a 90-unit apartment building directly across the street from 15 West, and plans to use it in more projects in the future.
