Pros and Cons of Electric/hot water Baseboard Heat? (renter, condo)

[esya]

Yes, this is an Oregon question. I keep finding places I like (low budget) but the idea of electric (or are they hot water?) baseboard heat is....stopping me. I recall rattling noises and the smell of burning dust from somewhere in my past.

Any positives on the baseboard heating? How do I evaluate it?

[karlsch]

If the baseboard heat is in a low budget rental, it's almost certainly electric. It is by far the cheapest heating method to install. You just screw a cheap baseboard heater to the wall and run a romex cable to the electrical box via a $20.00 thermostat.

The only advantage for the renter is you can have the heat on in the room you are occupying and have the heat turned off in unoccupied rooms.

[Silverfall]

There aren't a lot of pros. They will cost you a fortune in energy bills.

Actually, a pro...you would get to pull out all of those big heavy sweaters you have accumulated in Denver that aren't really necessary out here, and you could wear them to save on energy bills.

[dachmom]

I bought a condo (built in the 70's) with baseboard heat and I don't use the heaters. I went to Home Depot and bought two $45 "radiator" heaters (filled with an environmentally safe liquid, not oil. It is Oregon) and they worked great last winter. They kept my place warm and my electric bills weren't too high. I think most newer construction has cadet wall heaters or central heat/air.

[esya]

How are the cadet wall heaters any different besides being, if anything, uglier?

[Silverfall]

You do need to be aware that some of the cadet models were involved in a recall. The only way to know is to open them up and look at the number on the inside.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by esya

How are the cadet wall heaters any different besides being, if anything, uglier?

Cadet is a brand name. Many Cadet heaters are recessed into the wall and have a fan to force the hot air out. This is the type that many people think of when the talk of a "cadet" heater.

Click here:
Fan Heaters - Zonal Energy Efficient Electric Fan Heaters

[StealthRabbit]

Baseboard heat can be zoned hot water supplied by a boiler (Gas, wood, electric, fuel fired - most common) Very nice, fairly inexpensive to operate, pretty expensive to install.

or... independent electrically heated Water at each heater - pretty nice, fairly stable temps and fairly reasonable but not inexpensive to operate

or ... electric resistance (not great) and very expensive to operate, and potentially dangerous if you throw your clothes and papers on the floor

Wall heaters can be quite noisy

[Rickers]

I bought an oil filled portable electric radiator heater and it leaked oil right away. I returned it and put on a pendleton !

[Leisesturm]

Electric resistance is the cheapest, most efficient way of turning electricity into heat yet devised. Using the resistance element to heat water or oil adds to the efficiency much like using water or coolant in an automobile radiator adds to its efficiency but they work well enough without such, think motorcycles or VW Type 1 and 2 motors. The oil filled Delonghi radiators and their knock offs use an electric resistance element immersed in oil. I've never had a leak with one and if I did wouldn't consider it a reason to avoid them, just that particular unit. Faced with the o.p.'s dilemma I would do exactly what dachmom did and buy an electric radiator for each of the in use bedrooms and use them to keep night tems ~65F. Amazing how reasonable 65 can be with a down comforter pre-heated by a 12lb Siamese.

H