Electric Baseboard Heating
Baseboard heaters aren't the most efficient way to heat a room, but you can get the most from your heaters by knowing how they work and how to use them effectively.
How they work
Baseboard heaters use a process called electric resistance to heat a room. The electrical element inside the heater warms the air that passes through it. As this warm air rises out the top of the heater, it pulls colder air into the bottom. This cycle continues until the air in the room reaches the temperature specified by the thermostat.
There are two components to a baseboard system...the thermostat and the element. You'll find the thermostat either on the wall or on each unit. The thermostat tells the element when to activate and for how long. The element produces heat when electricity passes through. Each element contains a series of metal plates called fins that help send heat to a broader area. Cold air is drawn over the heated fins from the bottom of the baseboard and is directed into the room by a deflector hood. The heated air rises and forces the cold air to the floor, and the process repeats itself. Baseboards take more time to distribute heat to a room than fan-assisted heaters. Plan ahead or just set thermostats to a temperature at the low end of your comfort range and leave it there.
Electric baseboards are typically 8-10 inches tall and 2-8 feet in length. Heating capacity is approximately 250 watts per liner foot. The quality of baseboard heaters varies considerably. Cheaper models can be noisy and often give poor temperature control.
Assuming the quality of insulation in the room is satisfactory, the cost of resistance heating is approximately 10 watts per square foot of room area. Therefore, if a room is approximately 150 square feet, the minimum rating of the baseboard heater should be 1500 watts. Money spent on insulation both in the attic and walls is usually money well spent, if using electric heat. Of course, even more will be saved on heating costs, if the operating time of a heating system is decreased.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, each degree of thermostat setback over eight hours will yield 1% savings in heating costs.
Operating tips
· Multiple units in a room should be controlled by one thermostat.
· Turn down the temperature in rooms that aren't being used.
· Don't block the air flow. Place furniture at least six inches away.
· Do not put the thermostat temperature at a high setting to heat a room faster. The room heats at the same rate no matter what the setting. Try to set the thermostat to 68 degrees or less.
Safety and maintenance tips
· Fire danger from baseboard heaters is low but don't allow objects to contact them. Keep drapes from touching heaters, and don't place any other combustible materials on or near heaters.
· Follow the heating unit's maintenance instructions.
· Before you open the baseboard cover, turn the heater off at the breaker panel and let the heating element cool.
· Vacuum baseboards occasionally to remove dust and other debris. This is particularly helpful at the end of the summer. Vacuuming will reduce the "burned dust" smell you get from baseboard heaters when they're turned on for the first time in months!
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