Can You Use A 20 Lb. Propane Tank On A Wall Heater?

A propane wall heater is an energy-efficient option for heating a single room. But how much propane does a wall heater typically use? What size propane tank is required to keep it running?

Although you can use a 20-pound propane tank on a wall heater, it’s not recommended. A 20-pound propane tank will only fuel a wall heater for about 13.8 hours before it must be refilled. Most propane suppliers will require you to purchase a 250-gallon, 500-gallon, or 1000-gallon propane tank to run a wall heater.

This article will explain what a propane wall heater is, how it works, and how much propane it uses. It will also cover the pros and cons of using propane wall heaters to heat your home.

Related Guide: 20 lb. vs. 30 lb. Propane Tank

A propane wall heater is also known as a wall furnace. It’s a compact, self-contained heating unit. Propane wall heaters are usually permanently mounted in or on a wall.

Propane wall heaters don’t use ductwork and are vented directly through the wall or the roof. They’re intended to heat an individual room. You can use multiple wall heaters to heat your entire house or just a few to supplement particularly chilly rooms.

This type of heater usually has a thermostat built-in. Still, you can find some models with detached thermostats. This usually applies when the thermostat is meant to control multiple different wall heaters in the same space.

A propane wall heater is not the same thing as a space heater, however. Propane wall heaters are installed directly into the wall and aren’t portable like space heaters. In addition, wall heaters are directly wired to a circuit in the home’s electric panel, rather than being plugged in.

While using a 20-pound propane tank to power a wall heater is possible, it’s not recommended. This is because a 20-pound tank can only power the heater for less than 15 hours. If you wanted to run the heater consistently, you would need to replace the propane very frequently.

The chance of running out of propane is pretty high with a 20-pound tank. Running out of propane can be dangerous. It makes your tank more prone to leaks and rust build-up. There’s even a chance of your pilot light going out.

Most liquid propane suppliers will require you to use at least a 250-gallon tank for a wall heater. However, you can also use a 500-gallon tank or a 1000-gallon tank. The larger the tank, the less frequently you’ll have to refill it.

Propane wall heaters are safe and non-toxic to the environment. The propane tank can be put underground and out of sight, and it’s very low-maintenance. This type of wall heater is generally inexpensive, and installation is simple compared to other kinds of heaters.

Plus, propane tanks can hold as much as 1000 gallons of propane. This means there’s no need to constantly fill up the tank. You can even power your entire home using the same source.

Since propane wall heaters are self-contained, none of the heat they produce escapes to the outdoors. Instead, all of the heat is sent directly into the room it’s located in. This makes propane wall heaters very energy-efficient.

Related Questions

How does a wall heater work?

A gas wall heater uses either radiant heat or convection heat. For heaters that use radiant heat, propane or natural gas heats a ceramic panel. Then, the panel radiates heat out into a room, providing warmth directly to the people in the room.

Heaters that work with convection use a gas-produced flame to heat the air. A fan then blows the heated air into the room. This warms the air in the room, and the air, in turn, warms the people in the room.

Is a propane wall heater vented?

Propane wall heaters are vented. There are ventless wall heaters, but they do not use propane. Instead, they draw oxygen from the air in the room for combustion. The heated exhaust is vented directly back into the room using radiant or convection heating.

Are wall heaters safe?

Wall heaters are generally considered safe. One thing to steer clear of is fire hazards. Always keep combustibles like furniture, blankets, cleaning products, rugs, and piles of magazines away from wall heaters.