Electric Baseboard Heaters: Everything You Need To Know

We have devised different heating solutions and ways to heat a room. Baseboard heating is one of the methods currently welcomed and admired by many house owners.

There are both benefits and downsides to using baseboard heating systems. They are great if you want zone heating without any state-of-the-art tech. But, on the downside, they are not as efficient as modern heating systems like heat pumps. Also, they are considered as potential hazards for children.

Whether you want to replace your old baseboard heater with a new one or improve the existing one, it helps to know a little about them. Go through this article to have a clear idea about baseboard heaters.

What Is Baseboard Heating?

Baseboard heaters energy efficient ways of heating indoor spaces. They are quiet and small and take up only a little space indoors. Most heaters are mounted underneath the windows, and they counteract the cool air falling from the windows and open spaces.

This heating system provides heat to the room using electric baseboards. They are far better compared to forced air heating. They do not blow the air from the outside of the house to the inside. Hence, the baseboard heating system does not incorporate generating dust, or allergens, harming the pets and children.

Also, it does not produce any noise. You will not hear any sound of the air forcing through the ducts. There is also no noise from the air surfing and the furnace firing. Instead, the baseboard heating system generates heat with gentle sound and zero noise.

Types Of Baseboard Heating Systems

There are two different types of baseboard heating systems. Both are efficient and offer you the necessary heat needed for your home. However, both of the systems work differently.

Electric Baseboard Heater 

Convection heating systems or electric baseboard heating systems are quite common. They are good for keeping your home warm during winter. They help keep the temperature within your home under control.

The machine is engineered almost similar to a toaster. There is an electric coil residing inside the electric baseboard heater. When the baseboard heater is switched on, the coils inside turn on and produce heat similar to a toaster.

A thermostat is on the heater or mounted on the room’s wall. Once the switch is turned on, the heat disperses inside the room. The heated air rises above, making the colder air inside the room drawn to the bottom of the heater. And the process continues until the room is warm. Also, the fins, pipes, and housing radiate heat inside the room.

Hydronic Baseboard Heating System

Hydronic baseboard heating works like a radiant baseboard heating system. There is a boiler, a liquid (usually water or oil), and a tubing system to circulate the heat throughout the house

The heating element inside the boiler heats the water, and the tubes send it to the designated room for heating through the baseboard heating system. When the water cools down, it returns to the boiler and gets heated again.

When compared to conventional heaters, hydronic baseboard heaters take more time. Water, or the liquid used for transferring heat, takes some time to get heated. That is why this is a more time-consuming process when compared with other heating systems.

How To Efficiently Use Baseboard Heaters?

Users of electric baseboard heating systems are concerned about how much they spend annually. These heating systems take up around 44% percent of a homeowner’s total electricity.

But some workarounds are helping you to make the most of it while also cutting down on your electricity bills.

Go through these tips for help –

Set The Right Temperature

Heating cost can increase by 5% per degree if you are setting a temperature above 20°C (68°F). Most users usually set a higher temperature for their heating systems.

You can cut down on the electricity cost by adjusting the temperature throughout the day. You can do it based on your indoor activities and the need for indoor temperature.

Use Thermostats

Make the usage more efficient and cost-effective using thermostats. This is a good small investment you can make to cut down on cost and better use your baseboard heating systems. You can program the thermostat to adjust the temperature throughout the day as per your needs.

For example, you can set it at 5:00 p.m. to warm up the room. Also, you can get it to cool down at 11:00 p.m. when you are going to sleep at night. You can go beyond with the wi-fi enabled thermostats that adjust the temperature based on your indoor behaviors and needs.

Set Up Heat Zones

You definitely do not need to heat the whole house. Heating up specific spaces where you need them the most is the most logical decision. With hydronic and electronic baseboard heaters, you can heat up specific portions of your house. You can turn them into occupied rooms that need to be heated.

Clean Your Base Board Heating System

Unclean systems have to work hard to provide the same level of temperature and efficiency. This usually causes the baseboard heater to consume more energy, increasing your electricity bills. We suggest wiping the baseboard heater’s surface and vacuum cleaning its fins for more efficiency.

Reduce Window Drafts

The window of the room gets pretty cold. This is the place that lets the cold wind enter your room. When the heater is placed below the window, it works to cool down the wind coming through the window.

The colder the wind is, the harder it is for the baseboard heater to heat the room. This can result in high electricity costs. You can use draft proofing or window films to ensure the room does not get too cold. Curtains and blinds can also equally help.

Bottom Line

Yes, heat pumps are better when it comes to efficiency. But baseboard heating can also help if used effectively. Surely baseboard heating feels a lot smoother compared to furnace heating systems. They are good for smaller houses and rooms. With the tips mentioned above, you can use baseboard heaters more effectively.

Did you find this article useful? Please let us know if you have any more queries about the baseboard heaters.

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