Comparing 2 Kinds Of Baseboard Heating Systems
Posted on: 13 July 2016
Having central heating can be great during the cold months of winter, but even central heating can have difficulties reaching every room of a home with the proper amount of heat. That's why having a baseboard heating system can help you add supplemental heat in the rooms that need it. This heating system is installed near the floor and can provide heat in places like a basement, addition, or drafty bedroom with ease.
There are 2 different baseboard heating systems to consider: hydronic and convection. Both of these systems have pros and cons, and by understanding the differences, you can decide on the one that is best for your home.
Convection Baseboard Heating
A baseboard heater powered by electronic convection will heat and disperse air from a vented casing. You can control the heat using a thermostat that is directly on the unit or located on a nearby wall.
This type of heating system is easy to have installed, low-cost, and should need minimal repairs because of the limited amount of components that are needed for the system to run. The big trade-off will be that convection heat isn't very efficient compared to other heating systems. It will warm the space near the heater, but it doesn't disperse warm air very well in a large room. When the heater is turned off, you'll notice that a room gets cold pretty fast.
Convection baseboard heat will be good for those who have a small budget, or only need occasional help with additional heating on very cold days.
Hydronic Baseboard Heating
A hydronic heater will be more efficient by combining oil and electricity. These heating systems still use electrical coils, but they are used to heat oil rather than the air.
Oil is capable of holding heat for a while after the electronic coils shut off, which helps the heating system keep a room warm after the system is shut down. The trade-off with this system is that it will take a while to heat a room while the oil gets hot.
These baseboard heating systems are also more expensive in the long run. More parts can break that need repair, and the oil is an additional cost of running the unit. You may save money by not needing as many hydronic heating units compared to using convection heat to warm up the same room.
If you know which baseboard heating system you want, work with an HVAC technician--such as one from Biggerstaff Plumbing Heating & Air--that can perform the installation for you.
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