If you rely mostly on electric baseboard heaters to heat your home, they probably make up a big part of your annual electricity bill – sometimes as much as 44%. However, there are plenty of ways to maximize the efficiency of your baseboard heaters to cut down your winter heating costs.
In addition to what other people said, baseboards are also important protection to the bottom of the walls. Without them the wall will get damaged from vacuum, broom, feet, cats, kids, pets, moisture, etc.
According to HomeGuide, it costs between $480 and $900 a month to warm your home with electric baseboard heat. But that will quickly increase if a faulty or poorly programmed thermostat causes your heater to turn off and on or run more often than it needs to.
Baseboard heaters are not an efficient or cost-effective way to heat large homes or those that are drafty or not airtight. These heaters are not meant to circulate air since they do not have fans built-in.
Dangerous and uncomfortable
Electric baseboards get hot, which means you have to keep furniture and curtains at least six inches away from them to prevent fire. If you have young children in the house, they can also be a burn risk. The heat generated by baseboard heaters is a very dry heat.
Electric baseboard heaters are generally more energy-efficient for long-term use because they convert nearly all the electricity they use into heat and can be controlled to heat specific areas. Space heaters can consume more electricity, especially when used for prolonged periods.
Many baseboard heating systems are a form of electric heat that operates without ductwork and can be expensive to run. Baseboard heating is often more efficient than radiators, and they are even more efficient when they are run constantly, instead of being turned on and off.
Although baseboards aren't a necessity, they help give most homes a finished look and are highly functional.
Can trim carpentry improve resale value? Strictly speaking, any design sophistication improves any home's resale value, though estimating the exact price increase is impossible. Trim makes an average house look stylish and elegant. It's suitable for homes of all styles, from country to contemporary.
Quality wood baseboards can last decades when properly maintained.
The primary purpose of baseboards is to cover the joint between your walls and floor. This joint may be a bit unsightly on its own, but more importantly, the baseboards keep water from running under your drywall and flooring, causing mold.
The Energy Saving Trust , an independent organisation that provides advice on energy use, is unequivocal on this point. It says that keeping your heating on all day uses more fuel and so is more costly.
This shows natural gas is the cheapest type of heating to run and heating oil is the most expensive way to heat a home.
Because baseboard heaters are outdated systems, you may need to hire heating repair services more often just to ensure they are in good working order. In contrast, more modern HVAC systems won't require as much maintenance, and they can efficiently heat your entire house through ducts and vents.
Electric heaters of any type are unsafe to leave running overnight because they carry a significant amount of risk.
Example (you can use an electric heater running cost calculator below for different wattages/kWh prices): If we assume the price of electricity is $0.1319 per kWh, a 1,500-watt electric space heater will cost; $0.20 to run per hour. $4.80 to run per 24 hours (day). $11.20 to run per week (8h/day).
However, the time of your grandparent's baseboard heaters is long gone. Today baseboard heaters are much more efficient than their older counterparts, and when used as a secondary heating source, or even as the primary, the results are drastically different from 20 years ago.
In general, electric baseboard heaters use more electricity than an electric heat pump. This means higher electric bills, especially in the coldest winter months when they're working overtime to keep your home warm. The placement of baseboard heaters — near windows and exterior walls — can also work against you.