Here are all the details you gotta understand about baseboard heating.
Unlikenatural gas furnaces, baseboard heating is highly efficient, converting 100% of its energy into heat.
Additionally, baseboard heaters don’t require ductwork, so they’re easy to install along floor molding.
Credit:Werner Straube
What Is a Baseboard Heater?
Baseboard heaters are long modular units installed underneath windows or other areas of high ambient heat loss.
How Do Baseboard Heaters Work?
Baseboard heaters have two parts: the thermostat and the heating element.
The heating element slowly releases heat into the room.
They shouldn’t be hidden behind furniture or other obstructions.
To provide optimal heat distribution, baseboard heaters should be installed along exterior walls andbelow windows.
There are two types of electric baseboard heaters: convection and hydronic.
What is a Convection Baseboard Heater?
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.
The heated air naturally rises by passive convection without using a fan to warm the room.
Awall-mountedor unit-attached thermostat controls the unit.
Some units can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet.
What is a Hydronic Baseboard Heater?
They are typically connected to a homes 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.
Also, you could quickly turn the unit on and off when rooms are not in use.
Easy installation: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.
They provide a secondary source of heat to supplement central heat or fireplaces.
Quiet operation:Baseboard heaters are quieter than forced-air systems.
Easy to clean and maintain:You caneasily vacuum these heaterson your own.
You don’t need a professional toclean the ductwork.
Safety hazard: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, presenting a significantly reduced fire hazard.
Dry heat:These heaters generate dry heat.
It is common for people to develop dry skin, throat, and eyes.
To counter dry heat,use a humidifierto add moisture to the air.
Vacuum regularlyto keep dust, pet hair, and debris away from the heat source.
