We believe 60 years of Experience Matters
Since 1958, King Electric has manufactured American Made heating solutions for American families with the simple goal of keeping you comfortable through winter.
Below you will find made it easy to help yourself with FAQs, our heater sizing guide, and video and written tutorials.
I believe I need some assistance with my alCove cove heater.
Questions? We take pride in our level of customer service. If you have questions that you cannot find answers to on our website, we have in-house customer care and technical services representatives that will be able to answer any questions that you have regarding our alCove cove heaters.
Feel free to contact us at contact us at 206-762-0400 or email us at tech@king-electric.com.
Looking for information relating to product manuals, installation videos, how to measure tips and more? Visit the Learning Center.
FAQ
Q. Why choose an electric alCove cove heater, rather than a gas heater?
Simply put, electric cove heaters are more efficient and are easier to operate and maintain. Electric cove heaters are 100% efficient and are perfectly safe for use indoors. They are also economical to operate and require little maintenance beyond periodic cleaning.
Unlike gas heaters, there are no valves, ignition components, moving parts or burners to maintain or repair. In addition, electric cove heaters produce no sound, odors or toxic emissions.
Q. How can I estimate my cost of operation?
Electric cove heaters are economical to operate. It is easy to estimate your operating cost by multiplying the total kilowatts by your local power rate for a “kilowatt hour” (kwh). Standard power rates vary from market to market. Your rate should appear on any monthly utility statement. For example, a typical 560 watt (.56 KW) cove heater would cost 7.28¢ per hour based on a utility rate of 13¢ per kwh. Also keep in mind that your electric cove heater has a lower acquisition cost than a standard gas heater.
Q. What is a Zonal Heating System and how can it help save additional money?
A zonal heating system simply means, installing a heater in each room of your house with its own thermostat control. By installing an alCove cove heater in every room, you can easily heat only the areas in use and conserve energy. Unlike a central furnace which heats the entire house all the time, regardless if the room is being used or not.
Q. How do I determine how many heaters I will need?
Please visit the “How To Size A Cove Heater To Your Room” in our Learning Center for simple steps to help you select the right cove heater for your space. For professional assistance, you may be required to submit some basic information about your area to be heated. We are happy to help you design a system that will satisfy your needs and your budget.
Q. How small of a heater can I use?
Always choose a cove heater size with the appropriate heat output for the area to be heated. By selecting a smaller unit, you may require more cove heaters to get the same amount of heat output.
Q. Does an electric cove heater cost more than a gas unit to operate?
Operating costs vary by region. Nationwide, electric cove heaters are less expensive than propane, and are competitive with natural gas. Depending upon the total hours of usage, electric cove heaters normally have a much lower cost of ownership when factoring in purchase price and maintenance needs.
Basically, this means that while it can cost more per hour to operate an electric cove unit in some areas, it typically takes 7-10 years to save enough money operating on gas to recover the substantially higher purchase price-not to mention cost of regular maintenance for a gas heater.
Q. Can I run my cove heaters on only 120 volts of power?
Using a 110/120-volt heater (1,500 watts maximum) is fine for many spaces. However, when heating larger areas, running a dedicated 110/120-volt circuit is not practical or economical. A 240-volt circuit will require the same amount of wiring but offers more amperage capacity meaning you can install a larger heater to heat substantially larger areas with greater comfort. A 240-volt circuit simply requires two spaces in the breaker panel, rather than one.
Q. What’s the difference between 208-volt and 240-volt power?
Many new homes and businesses are supplied with 208-volt power, as opposed to the more familiar 120-volt or 240-volt options. It is very important to determine your power voltage before ordering and installing a heater.
A 240-volt heater on 208 volts of power will only produce about 75% of the desired heat output. Consult a licensed electrician to determine the actual voltage at your property location. alCove cove heaters are available in 120, 208, and 240-volt models.
Q. What are your safety certificates?
alCove Cove Heaters are safety certified for both USA and Canada by Underwriters Laboratories (cULus).
Q. Do I need to use a thermostat to control my alCove cove heater?
Yes, alCove cove heaters require a thermostat to regulate the room temperature. It is recommended to purchase a King branded thermostat, which is system matched to alCove heaters for optimal performance.
Q. Should I purchase an electronic 7-day programmable thermostat?
King branded electronic 7-day programmable thermostats give you the most efficient and versatile form of control for your cove heaters, allowing you to program a heating schedule that matches your specific requirements.
Traditional Mechanical thermostats use a bi-metal control to approximate temperatures. When you set the thermostat to 65, the room might reach 65 but then continues to heat for an extended period of time, wasting energy. We call this a temperature swing.
Electronic thermostats are much more accurate. Set the stat to 65 and you get 65 and no more.
Over the course of the year, that makes a huge difference.
By staying at that constant temperature regularly will save you money.