Most detractors of electric baseboard heaters argue that these are inefficient and require a whole lot of expensive electricity with minimal returns in heating capacity.
Compared of course to centralized heating systems that are gas-fired or coal-fired, using electric baseboard heaters can be quite expensive. So how can one make electric baseboard heaters energy efficient?
First up, common sense dictates that electric heaters are most cost effective in places where electricity is relatively cheap.
Otherwise, gas or even coal systems will always be a better option. Secondly, electric baseboard heaters can be made more efficient if they are installed correctly and have the right amount of heating power for the size of the room they are supposed to heat.
Thirdly, to make electric baseboard heaters energy efficient some measures can be taken so that they turn on or off automatically when a certain temperature is reached, with a thermostat for instance.
Make Sure To Properly Measure The Room
Before an electric baseboard heater is purchased, the room wherein the unit will be placed must be carefully measured. This is so that the heater will have just the right amount of heating capacity for the room.
There are lots of online calculators that will help potential buyers to find out exactly how many BTUs (stands for British Thermal Units and is used to measure the energy required to heat a pound of water) are needed by a heater for a certain room.
For this to work properly, the room’s length, width and height must be measured accurately (usually in feet). Some calculators will also ask the desired interior temperature and the lowest outdoor temperature.
The calculators will return figures in either BTUs or Watts, giving a good enough guide as to how much power a heater must have to effectively heat a certain space and by how much.
Proper Placement Will Give You The Mose Effective Heating
To make electric baseboard heaters energy efficient they must also be placed strategically in the room. Experts often advise them to be positioned right next to a window as these are usually where inside temperatures are the lowest.
To increase efficiency further, heaters must also be kept clean, and the areas around them free of any obstacles for the air to circulate better. It is advised that an area at least 3 feet around a heater must be given.
Lastly, installing additional insulation in the house to keep more of the heat in and the cold out will work wonders in conjunction with properly installed electric heaters.