An electric baseboard heater is a very common heater in homes. It is located near the floor along the baseboard, and works by heating the air around it with electric cables. The warmed air rises, and the cold air is sucked into the electric baseboard heater to be warmed up, until the air is at the temperature specified by the electric baseboard heater’s thermostat. This process not only draws cold air in, but also creates a natural airflow without needing a fan. This makes the electric baseboard heater one of the origininal convection heaters.
Compared to other heaters, though, electric baseboard heaters are not efficient. While they have the lowest cost to buy and install, the amount of energy required to sufficiently heat a room makes electric baseboard heaters among the most expensive to run and maintain. In order to get the best performance from an electric baseboard heater, all obstructions should be removed, such as furniture or drapes. Efficiency can also be maintained by regularly cleaning the electric baseboard heater’s heating coils, which can be done with a vacuum cleaner. Finally, when no one is in a room, the electric baseboard heater should be turned down to avoid using unnecessary electricity.