Five Tips for Using Electric Baseboard Heaters
Airflow
Electric baseboard heaters release heated air out of the top, while pulling cooler air into the bottom. Therefore, it’s important that they sit up a half-inch or so above the floor. If anything blocks the flow of air into electric baseboard heaters, it will decrease the energy efficiency. If you use these heaters in rooms with a thick carpet, you should cut away a small area to allow air to enter the heater from beneath.
Coils
You should also make sure to clean the coils of electric baseboard heaters regularly. Dirt and dust will accumulate on the coils and reduce the amount of heat they are capable of producing. This will in turn increase energy consumption. A collection of dust and dirt on the heating coils will also reduce the lifespan of the heater. You can clean the coils easily by vacuuming.
Unheated Rooms
If you don’t want to use electric baseboard heaters to heat unoccupied rooms, you shouldn’t shut them off. Water pipes under the floor could freeze if temperatures decrease too far. Also, the unheated room will cause cold air to seep around the rest of the house. Instead of shutting down electric baseboard heaters, you should simply turn the thermostat down to 50 degrees or so.
Thermostat
Electric baseboard heaters usually have line-voltage thermostats attached directly to them. Unfortunately, they aren’t capable of providing a consistent temperature. You would be better off using wall-mounted thermostats with electric baseboard heaters. They will provide more accurate control over the temperature.
Type
There are two types of electric baseboard heaters. Some use strip-heat while others are liquid-filled. The strip-heat variety are less expensive, but make creaking noises whenever they turn off and on. They also release heat only in short bursts. Electric baseboard heaters that are liquid-filled release heat evenly. They provide better comfort due to there being less variation in the room temperature.
These are a few tips for using electric baseboard heaters. You should make sure nothing blocks the airflow because it will decrease the energy efficiency. You should also clean the coils of electric baseboard heaters regularly. The line-voltage thermostat that is attached to these heaters is usually not effective, so you should use wall-mounted thermostats instead.
