i wonder whether you can paint them the wall color, much like people paint vents etc

what's the width? are they very obtrusive? are they usual to see where you live?

I would arrange the furniture the way it looks best.

The particular convection unit in my living room is about 2' wide and sticks out from the wall about 6". As a first time home buyer, when I visited the home, I found it appealing as it was a newer heater, so it was a selling point for me. I've since installed several others in the home as they are very effective. I don't think I should paint it, I personally hate when baseboards are painted and I've never seen a convection heater painted before. The issue isn't that I want to hide them because they are ugly... the problem is that unless I place furniture in front of them, I can't lay out the furniture that I have in a way that is an appealing use of the space.

My concern is whether a potential buyer would feel mislead by a space being laid out in a way that couldn't really work year-round, because you simply couldn't keep a couch up against the heater like I'm thinking of putting it. Or, that a buyer would keenly want to see the heat sources.

I've never heard of a convection heater. Are they attached to the wall? Are they plumbed?

Wall mounted. Looks like this https://goo.gl/images/MpO3xk

"My concern is whether a potential buyer would feel mislead by a space being laid out in a way that couldn't really work year-round, because you simply couldn't keep a couch up against the heater like I'm thinking of putting it. Or, that a buyer would keenly want to see the heat sources."-yes, I understood that..hence my questions. would be my concern too. i'd be inclined to show some maybe, and try to arrange the furniture in front of the rest. if it's possible of course, as a sort of a compromise. i would be less worried of giving buyers ideas of layout that can't possibly work..they'll figure out these things. i'd be worried though they need to see the heat sources, and where they are. you will mention them in the listing i guess..yet still..

do you prefer maybe to post a picture for us, of the current set up? easier to visualize..someone might have an idea how to arrange the furniture while not completely covering the heaters?,,

I won't post a pic now, it's still full to the brim with stuff I will remove (store or sell). May do that later.
This heater is a secondary heat source in the room, as there is a wall mounted heatpump too. So perhaps it isn't a big deal to cover it.

And sorry I misunderstood you aprilneverends.

Oh, nothing to be sorry about

If the heater is a secondary source of heat-I'd probably make sure to mention their existence in the listing, and maybe try to show one or something along these lines..but I wouldn't worry that buyers will get some preconceived notion about how to arrange their furniture. They'll have their own furniture after all, they'll figure it out. It's hard for me to imagine that somebody becomes upset at the seller because seller had his furniture in a different set up.

I had an opportunity to compare two listings right now-of our previous home when we first bought it, and of the same home as we listed it ourselves. The first listing is very clean, but quite cluttered, full of furnishings, there's homeowner's art everywhere..the pics show the house with great bones, but the one that looks smaller and darker. Our listing is(unfortunately lol) all staged, looks much bigger, brighter(in a jarring way), and reminds me of a very bad magazine picture. We bought the place(well put an offer on it) the same very day we saw the first listing. I'm not sure I'd run there as fast if I saw the second one.

Bottom line: don't worry too much. You don't know what this or that buyer will find appealing.

Good points.
We bought our house after only visiting one other one, so we expect that other young families will be just as charmed, but really hope the changes we brought will increaee the price. But there is no question that some decluttering and staging is needed, we can barely walk around in the living room.

Psst - can somebody PLEASE tell me what a convection heater is and what it looks like?

Do you mean something like these ceramic wall panels?

not as sleek. see image link posted above....

Sorry, no links anywhere in this thread that I can see, foreignlady. That's why people keep asking questions about them.

I posted a gooogle image link before, but it doesn't link to the image. Here's another https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.proportional-panel-convector.1000835390.html

Can't you just move the heater?

Or even better, just remove it and take it with you to the new place. A secondary heat source isn't required and/or expected. It won't bring you any more money whether it's there or not.

Huh. I've never seen anything like those. Is this just a Canadian thing?

I think it's just an electric heater. Similar to a baseboard heater, only bigger and stuck on the wall instead. :) Nothing all that fancy.

A secondary heat source isn't required and/or expected.

Just to add to my comment above. A secondary heat source could also be seen as a negative. People might see it and wonder if the primary heat source isn't good enough to heat the house. So there's another reason to remove it.

In our blisteringly cold winters, I think a secondary heat source is a must. Even the best heat pump doesn't work much once you hit -20 degrees Celsius. I don't think I should remove it. The new owners would freeze to death. Shouldn't move it either as it's where it should be based on the airflow or whatever. To my understanding anyway. And yes, perhaps it is just a Canadian thing, but from what I gather, it's better that a standard heater because it heats the air more than the objects like regular ones do.

Electric heat is probably the most expensive type of heat (in most areas of the country ... there may be exceptions). So in my mind, an electric heater is not a plus. If you had a secondary heat source that was a wood burning fireplace or a gas stove, then that would be an advantage. Cheap heat plus ambiance. Although admittedly, some people don't like the mess of a wood burning fireplace so for some people that wouldn't be a plus.

No offense but if your house relies on electric heat to keep it warm then your primary heat isn't sized properly and/or your house lacks proper insulation.

Most plug-in heaters meant for houses are convection heat. The other type of heat is radiant heat. Those are like big heat lamps. People use them in shops or garages because they give instant heat because it heats the person/objects instead of slowing warming the air. Since it's not a place that you spend all day in, you'd prefer that instant heat when you walk in instead of having to heat it for hours before you go in and tinker on your car engine for an hour and then leave.

There really isn't an 'optimal' spot for your wall heater. Any spot in the room would be fine. If it's taking up the area where furniture would logically be then to me it isn't optimal.

She isn't going to put "proper insulation" in or a brand new furnace system just to sell the house.

Cover it, and don't worry about it.

Also, there are certain areas and situations where electric heat is the best option. Maybe not in your area of the country, but not everywhere has natural gas, and not everywhere uses coal for their electricity generation--it is actually a very green source of heat in my area (and also relatively inexpensive). This is especially true as a backup/secondary source, and especially if using ductless style heatpumps.

I wasn't trying to suggest that she should spend the money on proper insulation or a new furnace just to sell the house. I was trying to suggest that buyers might THINK they need to spend money on proper insulation or a new furnace if they see an electric heater. That could be bad.

For me, an electric heater would be a red flag. That's all I'm trying to say.

I'm in Ontario which is just a little west of where the OP is and the hydro prices have been skyrocketing here. So it is a big issue here. Maybe it isn't as big a deal in Quebec.

greg_2015, electricity is incredibly cheap in Quebec, and electric heat is common. Even my hydro isn't too expensive (Ottawa, Ontario). You must have Hydro One (rural)?

Looked it up... 7.23 cents/kwh in Quebec. https://issuu.com/hydroquebec/docs/comp_2016_en?e=1151578/39216309 

Yeah, electric heating is the only affordable and green option in Quebec. We also have a wood burning fireplace with a duct system that can be used as well. We did prior to replacing the heat pumps, which are top of the line and on full warranty for 8 more years. I don't think folks visiting will be concerned about the house's heating. Our electric bills are quite low and we properly insulated the attic (but our basement junk room needs insulating, which I think I'll do).

Electric is green?

Hydroelectric is. As far as I know...

Okay. I stand corrected! :) Sorry for making assumptions.

Hydroelectric was the first "green energy" source. Now, wind and solar are both also green electric alternatives. Yes, electric can be green (so long as it isn't generated by coal/gas and it is therefore the secondary energy source).