While forced air is coveted in new homes, it’s common for older homes and buildings to have heating systems like wood stoves, radiators, or baseboard heaters. Unlike natural gas furnaces, baseboard heating is highly efficient, as it converts 100% of its energy into heat. Additionally, baseboard heaters don’t require ductwork, so theyโre easy to install along floor molding. If sized correctly, they can be a primary heating source for an appropriately sized room or a supplemental heat source for large ones.
If you donโt want to install new ductwork or prefer zoned heating, baseboard heating allows you to easily control the temperature in each room. However, there are advantages and disadvantages that are important to know before choosing baseboard heaters as a heating source.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ?
Baseboard heaters are long modular units installed underneath windows or other areas of high ambient heat loss.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ?
Baseboard heaters have two parts: the thermostat and the heating element. The heating element slowly releases heat into the room. This type of heater doesn’t need ductwork, blowers, or furnaces, but good air circulation is a crucial requirement to make sure these systems deliver heat effectively and efficiently. They should not be positioned hidden behind furniture or other obstructions. To provide optimal heat distribution, baseboard heaters should be installed along exterior walls and below windows. There are two types of electric baseboard heaters: convection and hydronic.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ?
This baseboard heating doesn’t require a central heating system or ductwork. Convection heaters collect cool air and warm it over electrically heated coils or metal fins. By passive convection, the heated air naturally rises without using a fan to warm the room.
A thermostat, mounted on the wall or the unit itself, controls the unit. Electric baseboard heaters have an on-and-off switch, but you can leave them running at a regular temperature setting. They are available in various sizes and heat capacities, which should be sized according to the space they must heat. Some units can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ต๐๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ?
Also known as hot water baseboard heaters, hydronic heaters use hot water to warm copper coils and generate heat. They are typically connected to a homeโs central boiler. The boiler heats water using either gas, oil, or electricity. Hot water then runs through pipes into the baseboard heater units. Once cooled, the water returns to the boiler, where it is reheated. However, some hydronic baseboard heaters are self-contained, meaning they have an internal fluid reservoir (water or oil).
Although they take more time to heat up, once hydronic heaters reach the desired temperature, they provide long-lasting heat that remains after you turn off the thermostat.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐
๐ญ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: With a baseboard heater, you can control the temperature of individual rooms. Also, you can quickly turn the unit on and off when rooms are not in use.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Since they don’t require ductwork, baseboard heaters are easy to install. Mount them to the wall and hardwire them to the home’s electrical lines. Hydronic heaters need tubing to run inside the wall, which makes it more complex to install than a standard convection electrical baseboard.
๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ: If you live in an area with freezing winters without proper insulation, baseboard heaters come in handy. They provide a secondary source of heat to supplement central heat or fireplaces.
๐ค๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Baseboard heaters are quieter than forced-air systems.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป: You can easily vacuum these heaters on your own. You donโt need a professional to clean the ductwork.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐
๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ: Expect higher utility bills than with forced air through an HVAC system.
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ: Electric baseboard heaters can get extremely hot. Without proper maintenance and care, they can become a fire hazard. To prevent fire, keep furniture and curtains at least six inches away. Hydronic baseboard heaters don’t get hot enough to start a fire, so they present a significantly reduced fire hazard.
๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐: These heaters generate dry heat. It is common for people to develop dry skin, throat, and eyes. To counter dry heat, use a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ
Electric baseboard heaters are a good option for heating older homes that might require retrofitting radiators and newer homes that need an additional heat source. While efficient, baseboard heating can be costly to operate. High utility bills and fire safety are two major areas of concern. To prevent fires and maximize the heating capabilities, don’t block the airway by placing anything in front of the heater, and donโt put anything flammable near the heater.
Vacuum regularly to keep dust, pet hair, and debris away from the heat source. Lastly, stay vigilant to keep small children and pets from burning themselves by touching a convection baseboard heater while it is still hot.
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Source: https://www.bhg.com/what-is-a-baseboard-heater-6892101