Things you should know before you tear out those old baseboard heaters

Many older homes have baseboard radiators instead of or in addition to a central heating and cooling system. Upon buying a home with baseboard heaters, many homeowners choose to tear them out in favor of central heating and air. If you’re considering that option, here are a few things you should know first.

Baseboard heaters are great for zone heating

One of the advantages of baseboard heating over central heating is that you don’t have to pay to heat the entire home when you only want to heat one or two rooms. Most baseboard heaters run off of electricity which is usually the most expensive way to heat a room. However, the added cost of heating with electricity is offset by the fact that you can target specific rooms that need to be warmed up.

Baseboard heaters are great for hard-to-heat rooms

In just about every home there’s at least one room that’s almost impossible to keep warm. Maybe it borders the outdoors on two or three sides. Maybe it has large, drafty windows. Whatever the cause, a baseboard radiator is much more likely to keep the room warm than a central heating system. That’s because hot air rises and will better disperse when the heat source is near the floor as opposed to the ceiling. Additionally, baseboard heaters are usually installed beneath windows and will counteract a draft. Some homeowners choose to use baseboard heaters as supplemental heat in addition to central heating for this reason.

Baseboard heaters are quiet

Since they usually run on electricity or hot water, they’re quieter than central heating systems which have to force warm air throughout the entire home.

Baseboard heaters are low maintenance

Baseboard heaters have fewer moving parts than central heating systems which means they are much less likely to break down and need repair. As long as you’re good about occasionally removing dust and lint (just as you’d replace the filter for a central heating system) your baseboard heaters should run fine for years and years without needing a visit from an HVAC technician.

Baseboard heaters don’t have to be ugly

While some argue that baseboard heaters are a source of charm in older homes, other homeowners don’t like the look of them. Fortunately, there are snap-on baseboard radiator covers you can purchase and install in minutes so that they don’t make your home look dated.

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