A Buyer's Guide to Baseboard Heaters
In today's market, there is more than one space heater to choose from. You can pick one depending on your requirements, considering their characteristics and seeing which fits your needs best. Additionally, if you want to decide between different heating systems (i.e., an electric fireplace or other), this guide is meant to clarify how baseboard heaters function and whether you should install them in your home.
A baseboard heater is one of the most effective heating options available on the market. They are yet to be as famous as the rest of the conventional heaters.
Seeing how few people know about them, they also have little information, which further confuses people. Often the questions that most people have about baseboard heaters are how they function, their costs, and what their installation process will be like.
How Does a Baseboard Heater Function?
It’s understandable for people to feel confused about the functions of a baseboard heater. However, once you break down the functions and types of baseboard heaters, you will be able to make a well-informed decision about which one would be better for you.
To put it simply, baseboard heating is an electronic device that provides heat using baseboard space heaters. Unlike other air-heating systems, space heaters don’t blow the air. This means there is less dust, pet dander, and allergen. Additionally, since they don't contaminate the air as much as others, they don't require you to have air ducts in your home.
There is an electrical current that flows through the baseboard's heating system. The electric resistance from the space heater makes it heat up because there is electricity trying to pass through it. Baseboard heaters don't use fans to spread their heat; they gradually spread throughout the room.
Like any other heating system, you can use a baseboard heater thermostat to control the room's temperature. There will be an available thermostat option on the wall or the unit itself. Most manufacturers that install the digital thermostat on the wall are considered the most reliable.
As for the types of baseboard heaters, there are two central heaters. Their primary function is the same: they both provide heat. But they provide heat in their own way.
Electric Baseboard Heaters
You may have heard that electrical space heaters are also known asconvection heat systems. An electric baseboard heater is the most commonly knownheater, and it's perfect for controlling the temperature in any room.
There are electric coils inside these electrical heating units; they are the core heating element of the electric space heaters. These coils are similar to how coils inside a toaster work. Whenever you switch up the machine, the coils heat up and disperse throughout the room.
An electric heating system can be controlled via a baseboard heater thermostat; this thermostat is typically placed within the heater or mounted on the wall.
Furthermore, as the air heats, it will rise, and the cooler air will be sucked into the heater's bottom, which causes heat to leak from the fins, housing, and pipes.
Electrical space heaters are usually used in places where there needs to be a supplement ofan HVAC unit or someplace where central heating doesn't reach; for instance, the basement.
Hydronic Baseboard Heaters
Unlike electrical space heaters, a hydronic baseboard heater uses liquid to generate heat. The heating component in the boiler warms oil or water in an enclosed and sealed system. The warm oil or water passes through the tubing to heat separate rooms with baseboard heating.
And when the water or oil cools down, it goes back to the heating component within the baseboard heater to warm up again. They almost function like conventional radiators back in the day.
Additionally, they are slower in the heating process than convection space heaters. And since it takes longer than usual to heat a room, it isn't as favored among regular people.However, considering how long-lasting heat they provide, they are still popular and mostly in commercial use. They generate heat even after the oil or water is turned off.
The Installation Process of a Baseboard Heater
Similar to any other electrical device, the installation process of a baseboard heater is divided into two main parts: the installation itself and the electrical wiring afterward.
People often underestimate the significance of the installation process. They assume that any inexperienced worker can handle a baseboard heater's wiring and installation process. Moreover, some even hire unreliable workers, increasing the risks of electrical surges and other health hazards.
Contrary to what some may believe, mounting a baseboard heater is not something you should take lightly. If there is even an inch of distance or a single loose bolt or screw, the entire system may fail or, worse, fall.
To prevent health hazards and electrical failure from occurring, hire a reputable electrical contractor with a licensed and experienced electrician in Richmond.You have to find a company that is trustworthy and competent, like Kato Electrical, because it is crucial for the longevity of your space heater and the safety of everyone involved.
Depending on your local laws, you may have to acquire a permit to ensure that you are responsible and capable of installing a baseboard heater. To better understand the installation process, read below.
Ø Measuring
When you contact a professional electrical contractor, they will send an electrician Richmond to mount the heater on the wall. Before that, they will first have to find the studs within the targeted wall. A skilled electrician Richmond will use a stud finder and then mark the locations where the studs are with a pen or a pencil.
Moreover, if the molding is in the designated location, an electrician Richmond will have to carve out a piece of the chunk to make room for the space heater. The electrical contractor will measure the length and width of the baseboard heater and highlight those measurements on the baseboard.
Ø Cutting
Cutting is an essential step that requires the assistance of a skilled electrician Richmond; it needs to be precise and accurate. They will cut the excess baseboard from where your space heater will mount.
For example, if your baseboard is thin and soft, the electrician can cut it away by hacking the previously highlighted cut marks with either a knife or a cutter, and then their last step will be completing it with a chisel.
The experts may also opt for an oscillating tool only if they are licensed and equipped to handle such a powerful cutting tool. You can also remove the entire board, cut unwanted pieces, and then re-install those parts that a heater wasn't covering.
Ø Wiring
Wiring is likely the most critical part where the presence of an expert is necessary. If you don’t hire a suitable and skilled electrical contractor for this task, the chances of an electrical short circuit or a fire are alarmingly high. And while every step of the installation process requires attention from a skilledelectrician Richmond, wiring cannot be done by an inexperienced and unqualified worker.
A baseboard heater needs dedicated and strong circuits capable of providing sufficient current. The electrical contractor will add a circuit to the existing breaker box, and you have to ensure that the box is switched off.
Then, they will run the wiring to the baseboard heater thermostat; this will only be done if your space heater is wall-mounted. And then afterward, the experts will finally connect the wires to the space heater itself.
Typically, there is an electric panel located on the heater that an electrician Richmond can easily access. They will remove the screw and lift the cover to get the most visibility and accessibility. Beneath the covers, they will discover the wires that have to be connected to the baseboard heater, thermostat, and power supply.
Ø Mounting
When the wiring is secured, the mounting process is relatively straightforward; the electrician will be able to mount the space heater on the wall in no time. Typically, this is done by using screws and putting them on the back of the space heater and then into the wall studs.
However, sometimes one may need to pre-drill holes if the heater doesn’t have any holes in the back panel. Make sure the electrician matches those holes with the studs in the walls.
Which Baseboard Heater Is More ExpensiveIn The Long Run?
While hydronic and electric heaters work differently, their comparison is inevitable. Many people feel conflicted about which heater to invest in for the upcoming winter, and one of the quickest ways to decide is to compare their prices.
Now, it isn’t as simple as cheap and expensive. They both have distinct advantages and drawbacks that you will need to see best fits your requirements.
Hydronic
Considering how a hydronic space heater continues to generate heat even after the liquids are turned off, they significantly reduce the bills. They are energy-saving heaters that don't need to be on as much, and seeing how gas is relatively cheaper than electricity; you will be saving on that as well.
However, they take time to heat a room thoroughly; they will require more time than electric heaters, making your monthly bill unpredictable.
Electrical
An electric space heater is just as energy efficient as a hydronic space heater. They both have excellent heating elements. As for the costs, electrical heaters heat a room very quickly; they don't need to wait hours to warm the space.
However, electricity is costly, more so than gas. The costs can be as high as four times the original price. This is why electrical heaters tend to act as supplemental heating systems.
Final Thoughts
Baseboard heaters have many misconceptions about them in the market; people don't fully comprehend how they work, their costs, and the installation process. Once you understand these three critical aspects of baseboard heaters, you can buy one for yourself without any hassle. When it comes to Baseboard heater installation, Kato Electrical is the best electrical contractor you can hire for the job.