Heater Buying Guide

Direct Vent or Ventless?

Empire Heaters come in two main types, Direct-Vent and Vent-Free. Direct Vent Fireplaces Require a built-in vent to intake outside air while Ventless uses the air inside your home. Below We'll go over which types are right for your home!

Direct Vent Heaters

Direct-Vent systems mount on an outside wall and have a vent-within-a-vent system to draw in outdoor air to support combustion and exhaust flue products to the outdoors. The vent cap installs on the outside wall of the home. Because they do not draw your already-heated room air to support combustion, Direct-Vent systems are among the most efficient of the vented heaters. A Direct-Vent system may be installed as your home’s primary heating system.

Vent Free Heaters

Vent-Free systems draw room air to support combustion in a clean burning blue-flame or radiant-plaque system. Rated at 99.9 percent efficient, vent-free heaters release nearly all of the available heat energy into the room. To ensure safe operation, all vent-free systems include an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) to automatically turn off the heater if room oxygen level drops to an unsafe level. Vent-free systems are designed to provide supplemental heat and may not be used as a primary heat source.

What Model Best Fits Your Room?

Empire offers a full line of direct-vent, vent-free, power vented, and vented heaters in sizes to warm almost any room. Is this guide we'll help you decide which heater is right for you.

UltraSaver 90-Plus Power-Vented Wall Furnace

At 90% AFUE, the UltraSaver90Plus is the most efficient wall furnace available. This clean, modern cabinet fits any décor. Choose models in 35,000 or 17,500 BTUs. Simple Operation – For all of its technology, the US90 is surprisingly easy to operate. The built-in control panel lets you operate the wall furnace manually or set the built-in thermostat to maintain the desired temperature.

Infrared Heaters

Infrared heaters project warmth into the room like sunlight. Empire Heating Systems models produce an infrared “radiant” heat that instantly adds warmth to you and objects in the room.

Space-saving efficiency and convenient top-mounted controls make the SR6W and SR10W outstanding heaters to add radiant heat to your smaller rooms. Where local codes permit, the SR6W is ideal for bathrooms and, when allowed, the SR10W for bedrooms.

The trim design and generous heat output of the SR18W enhances medium size rooms with cost-effective warmth. In addition, the thermostat on the SR18TW lets you easily maintain a convenient “hands-free” temperature all day and night.

The SR30W and SR30TW quickly fill large rooms with 30,000 Btu of warmth at the touch of a button. The thermostat on the SR30TW offers you round-the-clock comfort and convenience.

Blue Flame Heaters

Blue Flame heaters warm the air, which rises to create natural circulation in the room. Ideal for any supplemental heat application. The BF10W and BF20W produce an inviting atmospheric warmth quickly and efficiently. The BF10W is equipped with a hydraulic thermostat with a constant 10,000 Btu input, while the BF20W is equipped with a modulating hydraulic thermostat that modulates from 8,500 Btu to 20,000 Btu for continuous temperature control.

The BF30W offers the visual warmth of a blue flame with a hydraulic thermostat that modulates from 8,500 Btu to 30,000 Btu for continuous temperature control. Or choose one of our imported HearthRite blue flame heaters to warm your room for a great value.

Direct-Vent Counterflow Wall Furnaces

These Direct-Vent Counterflow Wall Furnaces may be recessed between standard wall studs and can be installed on an outside wall. Provides total comfort for a fraction of the cost of electric heat. Matchless pushbutton piezo ignition for manual operation; also works with optional thermostats or other remote controls. Front panels remove for cleaning and servicing. Counterflow design circulates warm air at floor level.

High-Efficiency Direct-Vent Wall Furnaces

Advanced technology makes these heaters more than 80% efficient A.F.U.E. The 20,000 Btu DV20E is ideal for heating basements, family rooms or several small rooms. The DV40E and DV55E are perfect for heating large family rooms, offices, apartments or even entire homes.

Direct-Vent Wall Furnaces

Whether you need to heat a single room or an entire home, Empire has Direct-Vent Furnaces to suit your needs. Specifically designed for areas where flues or chimneys are not available or cannot be used. Removable front panels for easy cleaning and servicing. Uses outside air to support combustion. Inside air is warmed as it recirculates around a sealed chamber. This warm air heats the room cleanly and efficiently.

Gravity Wall Furnaces

The Gravity Wall Furnace offers total comfort for a fraction of the cost of electric heat. The furnace’s common size retrofits easily. Designed for installation in a standard 2 x 4 stud wall cavity. Optional Out-of-Wall Kit (GWTW2W) allows surface mounting and encloses the sides.

The 50,000 Btu GWT50W installs in the wall between adjoining rooms and heats both.

For the smaller GWT25W and GWT35W, an optional Rear Register Kit (GWTR1W) directs heat to an adjoining room.

Visual Flame and Console Room Heaters

Empire Vented Room Heaters are crafted for visual appeal and maximum efficiency. Room heaters make ideal replacements for traditional wood-burning or coal-burning heaters. Just like a wood stove, they use room air for combustion. Vent pipes connect the heater to a chimney or flue to carry the by-products of combustion outside.

Empire Vented Room Heaters are designed for quiet operation. The curved combustion chamber design minimizes noise while the burner ignites the gas im­me­di­ate­ly as it enters the burner port for added efficiency.

Floor Furnaces

This is America’s most popular floor furnace and needs no electricity to operate. With its whole-house heating capability, you will be in total comfort for a fraction of the cost of electric heat.