Use Of Space Determines Type Of Heaters Needed

Q: I’d like to replace my old electric baseboard heaters with something more efficient. Can you offer any advice about choosing new heaters?

A: When choosing replacement heaters, it’s important to think about how you’re going to use each space and choose the type of heater that will best meet your needs. That may mean choosing different types of heaters for each space. Each has advantages, depending on where the unit is located and how the room is used. There’s no difference in the efficiency - they’re all 100 percent efficient. The differences are in how they transfer heat to the room - radiant or convective.

Baseboard heaters: There are three main types of baseboard heaters: standard, two-stage units, and liquid loop baseboards. Standard baseboard heaters are most often installed because they have the lowest initial cost. Two-stage units have two separate heating circuits to better match the heat requirements of the space and provide a more uniform heat with minimal temperature variation. The liquid loop units incorporate a water or oil filled coil that absorbs heat for longer heat retention, lower surface temperature, and uniform heat.

Prices range from $20 to $50 for standard baseboards, $80 to $150 for two-stage units, and $100 to $200 for liquid loop baseboards. Some units may require a specific thermostat for proper operation, which adds another $30 to $50 to the cost.

Baseboard heaters are slow to recover from a setback setting and can overshoot the temperature setting unless special anticipator thermostats are used. Baseboards should be placed on the outside wall of each room, preferably under or near a window for maximum comfort and effectiveness. Keep furniture and curtains at least five to six inches away for fire safety and good air circulation. If free wall space and floor length curtains are important, you may want to look at other types of heaters.

Fan-forced wall heaters: This type of heater offers quick warm-up and takes up much less wall space, allowing more flexibility in furniture placement. Unlike baseboard heaters, they should be installed on interior walls. This prevents breaking the insulation and vapor barriers in the outside walls. Place them near the floor to blow air toward or across exterior walls for effective heat distribution and comfort. Never install wall heaters behind doors or where you’re likely to place furniture such as couches, beds or dressers. Wall heaters cost between $50 and $200 with most common sizes in the $80 to $120 range.

Bedrooms can generally be kept cooler than the main living areas. They usually don’t require fast warm-up after night setback. Two-stage or water loop baseboards are appropriate, because they are quiet and produce even heat.

Living rooms, family rooms, and kitchens are usually occupied during morning and evening hours, but not all night. These areas call for a high degree of comfort and quick response. Fan forced wall heaters will meet those requirements. These living areas usually have more background noise to cover any fan noises from the heater.

Bathrooms need to heat up quickly while occupants are bathing and still maintain comfortable temperatures for occasional use in the evening. One solution is to provide a background level of comfort with a small baseboard while having a high output fan heater for use while bathing. The fan unit can be controlled by a timer switch and the baseboard heater can be controlled with a thermostat.

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