Hydronic Baseboard Heaters: Should You Replace Your Electric Or Ceramic Heater With One?
As the long teeth of winter approaches every year, people begin to worry about staying warm during another cold and windy season. But with the costs of using oil or gas powered furnace to heat homes rising every year, more and more homeowners are considering alternative heating methods.
One such method is hydronic baseboard heaters. Designed to work within individual rooms these durable devices can easily act as replacement units for the more common ceramic or electric room heaters. If you have ever wondered about installing hydronic baseboard heaters then you should read this article and learn more about this very affordable individual room heating system.
How Hydronic Baseboard Heaters Work
A hydronic heater is a self contained heat exchanger unit that uses electricity to transfer heat from electrical elements to a liquid-filled tubing array to warm up a living space. Often enclosed in a long “baseboard” style design these heat exchangers draw up cold air from near the floor and then release or push out the heated air from the top of the unit.
Due to their portability and compact footprints, hydronic baseboard heaters can easily substitute or enhance your normal electric, gas or oil-based central heating system. Also because of their ability to retain heat inside their thermal liquids (such as water, oil or silicone) and copper array, they can release heat into the air for long time even after they have stopped running.
And unlike other supplemental heating methods such as wood stoves or kerosene burners, the oxygen levels and air quality of the home are not comprised or filled with noxious fumes or smoke. Some families using have reported saving of up to 50% on their heating bills over the winter months.
Advantages of Using Hydronic Baseboard Heaters
Advantage #1 – No fire safety hazards. Unlike other portable heaters like kerosene or electric or butane, the risk of fire and serious burns from close contact are greatly reduced. No more worries about spilled fuel, or the heater being knocked over and catching furnishing on fire. These units is a sealed copper chamber filled with silicone or
Inside the heater case all hot liquids are completely sealed off in a welded copper chamber that will never spill out, leak or boil over.
Advantage #2 – More economical. It only takes a few kilowatts to run one of these units in comparison to using an electric heat pump or gas or oil fired furnace. Instead of heating the whole house just to shake the chill from a single room, you can use a portable hydronic heater. Or you can install a more permanent model to heat a larger section of your home in the long term.
Advantage #3 – Cleaner and quieter. Unlike a more traditional furnace which as we have all learned can almost drown out most music and conversations, these units use a tiny, almost silent blower fan to push out the heated air into the room. This is a great improvement over the sound of a noisy basement furnace blower. Not to mention, no more furnace filters to trap dust filled air.
No matter what advantage appeals to you the most, investing in some hydronic baseboard heaters, will give you and your family a safe, clean and affordable form of individual room heating.
