what is a baseboard heater

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What Is A Baseboard Heater?

Electric baseboard heating systems — also known as electric resistance heating — is a form of zone heating that individually creates and controls the temperature in each room of your home. There are no furnaces, boilers, heating ducts, vents or blowers involved in distributing the heat.

How does a baseboard heater work?

Baseboard heating works through convection. … Within the baseboard, the air is warmed by a series of metal fins that have been heated through electricity. The warm air then rises from the baseboard, and the pattern repeats itself, creating a circular flow known as a convection current.

What are the benefits of baseboard heaters?

There are many benefits of baseboard heaters, creating a perfect heating solution; requiring a limited amount of space and are quiet, safe, energy efficient, and easy to install, especially on a room-to-room basis where they are needed.

When should you use a baseboard heater?

Baseboard heaters can supply heat to individual rooms so they work well for zone heating. By heating only the occupied rooms, you can leave guest rooms or unused bedrooms cooler. This can produce energy savings up to 20% versus heating your entire home.

Is baseboard heating OK?

Electric baseboard heating is safe and simple, and it allows you the flexibility to either heat each room individually or use home-wide temperature control. Baseboard heating got its name because it involves installing heaters along the baseboard of a room.

What is wrong with baseboard heating?

If your heater doesn’t produce heat after a couple of minutes, check the electrical system. Tripped breakers are a common problem with baseboard heaters. Inspect the valves inside the heater. Valves may corrode and stick together without proper lubrication, preventing heat from getting into the room.

Do baseboard heaters use a lot of electricity?

In general, electric baseboard heaters use more electricity than an electric heat pump. This means higher electric bills, especially in the coldest winter months when they’re working overtime to keep your home warm. The placement of baseboard heaters — near windows and exterior walls — can also work against you.

What is the disadvantage of baseboard electric heat?

Baseboard Heating Cons

The biggest con of this form of heating is the lack of efficiency and relatively high cost to run these systems.

Do baseboard heaters sit directly on the floor?

Space Between a Baseboard Heater and the Floor

Many baseboard heaters can be installed directly on the floor without impeding airflow through the bottom of the heater. Heater units typically have a guard that prevents the air intake area from touching the floor.

How much does baseboard heating cost a month?

In most climates, an average 1,200 square-foot, well-insulated home using an electric baseboard requires about 12,000 watts of power. For a home like this, monthly electricity costs for running the baseboard alone will be approximately $400.

Is it safe to leave baseboard heaters on all the time?

Yes, while baseboard heaters are considered very safe, and the risk of fire is pretty low if misused, there is a risk of fire. Here are some safety and maintenance tips for preventing fire and to maximize the heating capabilities in a room.

How can I lower my electric bill with baseboard heat?

7 Ways to Bring Down Your Baseboard Heating Electric Bill

Keep your heater sparkly clean. Dust buildup on your baseboard heater will block the heat and keep it from escaping properly. …
Turn it down! …
Calibrate. …
Insulate. …
Contact the power company. …
Run appliances at night. …
Give your ceiling fan a whirl.

What are the different types of baseboard heat?

There are two different types of baseboard heaters: convection and hydronic.

Why do baseboard heaters smell?

Aside from lubricant burning, a burning smell coming from an electric baseboard heater is most likely due to a build-up of household nasties like dust and grease that is being heated. The smell is generally more prominent as soon as you switch on the heater, and the heat comes on.

Can baseboard heaters make you sick?

Heating systems can make your home excessively dry, which won’t necessarily make you sick, but it can irritate your skin, eyes, nose, throat and more. If you believe that your air is too dry, a humidification system can make your home more comfortable.

Can you replace baseboard heaters?

If you need to replace a baseboard heater, you have two choices: electric convection heaters or hydronic heaters. Both types fit snugly against baseboards in any room and can be perfectly placed under windows or near drafty doorways.

Do baseboard heaters use water?

Hot Water Baseboard Heaters

These are also called hydronic baseboard heaters and they have to be connected to the central heating system. However, no water needs to be channeled all the way through the pipes to these individual baseboard heating units in order to heat the rooms.

Is electric baseboard heat cheaper than gas?

Electric baseboard heaters are less costly to install but likely come with a higher energy bill than hydronic baseboards due to their inability to maintain consistent heat. In fact, electric resistance heat tends to cost more than other major heat sources, such as propane, oil, natural gas, or a heat pump.

Can you add air conditioning to baseboard heating?

A home with baseboard heat does not have the duct system that a home with a forced-air system does. Upgrading and installing ducts is costly and, in some cases, impossible. Window-based units systems is a cost-effective way a homeowner can air condition a home with baseboard heat.

Why are heaters placed under Windows?

Windows are traditionally the worst insulated surfaces in a building shell. … In the twentieth century, to combat that cold feeling and keep the room comfortably warm, radiators were always placed under a window. The rising heat of the radiator forms a kind of hot air curtain that shields you from the cold air.

Can curtains hang over baseboard heaters?

Electric baseboard heaters

You should never allow draperies/curtains to touch the heater. Short drapes or curtains need a minimum of 8 inches from bottom of fabric to top of heater.

Can you have carpet with baseboard heaters?

Thick carpet or rugs can get in the way

But ensure that they’re not impacting the efficiency of baseboard heaters. … Your heaters should sit at least two centimetres (three-quarters of an inch) above the floor or carpet to allow the cooler air on the floor to flow under and through the electrical element.

Can you block baseboard heat?

“Blocking” a baseboard heater can have two connotations. It can refer to restricting airflow, which causes the heater to function inefficiently and could create a fire hazard. Blocking the heater can also refer to restricting access to it.

Are baseboard heaters electric or gas?

Baseboard Heating Basics

Electric: The most popular baseboard heaters are electric. These systems house their heating elements in metal pipes, and each baseboard heater is paired with its own thermostat. Hot Water: There are also hydronic or hot water baseboard heaters.

How much does it cost to run a baseboard heater for 1 hour?

On average, a 1,500W heater costs around $0.20 per hour to run on high. This adds up to a cost of $1.60 for 8 hours a day, and $48 per month. The running costs depend on your electric heater’s power, running time, heat settings, and your electricity price.

Do you need an electrician to install a baseboard heater?

An electric baseboard heater requires a 20-amp circuit, according to instructions on The Spruce. You’ll also have to install a cable from the electrical service panel in your home to the baseboard heater. Installing the cable and connecting the heater should be done by a licensed electrician, though.

Are baseboard heaters economical?

Cost. Electric baseboard heaters are relatively cheap and easy to install. At the time of publication, these units cost a few hundred dollars, or less, and eliminate the need for expensive duct networks throughout the home, making them much more affordable than furnaces or heat pumps in terms of upfront costs.

Can electric baseboard heaters cause carbon monoxide?

No. Only heaters that burn a combustible fuel to create heat can cause carbon monoxide build-up in your home. An electrical heater works by having electricity flow through a metal heating or ceramic heating element to produce heat.

What temperature should baseboard heat be set at?

Typical hot water baseboard radiation systems use standard supply water temperatures of 180° which is circulated through the copper and aluminum fin tube piping arrangement to heat the desired space and returns back to the boiler at approximately 160° (20° Delta T).

How much electricity does baseboard use?

Electric baseboard heaters on average need 225 watts per foot. Multiply the heater length by 225 to estimate wattage. If your heater is 4 ½ feet long, multiply 4.5 by 225 to arrive at an estimated 1,012 watts.

Are modern baseboard heaters more efficient?

Electric baseboard heaters heat up fast but cool very quickly once the thermostat switches off. … This means they continue to deliver heat for longer even after the thermostat clicks off, making hydronic baseboard heaters more efficient than electric models.

Is it worth replacing old baseboard heaters?

All electric heaters are 100% efficient at converting electricity to heat, regardless of how old they are, so replacing old baseboards with newer ones won’t save you any energy. … There is nothing else for the electricity going through your baseboards to do but turn into heat.

What’s more efficient than baseboard heaters?

electric baseboard heater. While ductless heat pumps do work best with proper insulation, they can do more than baseboard heat in a room if it’s less than optimal. They are more energy efficient than baseboard heaters – in fact, they are considered one of the most energy-efficient heaters on the market today.

Do baseboard heaters need to be cleaned?

Most people aim to clean their baseboard heaters at least twice a year—once before they turn on the heat for the colder months and again when the weather gets warm. … In addition, keep the area around a baseboard heater clean, as any dust and dirt there can be drawn into the unit on air currents.