Convection Vs Hydronic Electric Baseboard Heaters

Measuring 46 inches long with 1 000 watts of power this baseboard heater is a reliable heat source.

Convection vs hydronic electric baseboard heaters.

Or they can act as the primary heat for peripheral spaces like cabins basements or additions. Hydronic baseboard heaters have the encased electric heating element completely submerged in water a heat transfer liquid that provides thermal mass. These baseboard heaters employ hot water instead of electricity. Hydronic baseboard heating systems are more efficient than other forms of electric resistance heating such as traditional baseboard convection heaters.

A standard electric baseboard generates heat when electricity passes through a heating element. Hydronic heaters will cost about four times more than the corresponding convection baseboard heater. While both may run on standard ac electrical current hydronic heaters use radiant heat while electric baseboard units are of the convection variety. In the first part of this article we ll go over a few differences between hydronic and standard electric baseboard heaters.

Hydronic baseboard heaters like the fahrenheat plf1004 use a liquid heating element that keeps the surface of the unit cooler compared to conventional baseboard heaters. With softheat the heating element is enclosed in a copper tube that s filled with a non toxic mineral oil. Marley s hydronic baseboard heater is capable of producing 1 250 watts of heat and it needs a 220 volt electric circuit. Hot water baseboard heaters are a more cost efficient alternative to electric baseboard heaters.

The element spreads heat to the surrounding air through metal fins attached to the element. If you are thinking about getting a hot water baseboard heater you should consider its pros and cons. After that we have an extensive list of important features to look for in a baseboard heater. Hydronic electric baseboard heaters vs standard.

The liquid might take longer to warm up than the regular electric heating elements but once it does it stays warm for a long period of time with minimal energy. Rarely are they used as the only heat source except in some warmer climates where additional heat is rarely needed. The water is pumped from a boiler that keeps the water at a constant temperature. Luckily these features can be found on both kinds of heaters.

Electric baseboard heaters provide an economical secondary heat source for primary hvac systems.