Baseboard Radiator Heaters

Baseboard Radiator Installation Costs

A baseboard radiator is a short and compact water heater that is affordable and offers several other benefits, making them a good all-around option for home heating units.

The average baseboard radiator installation costs for a baseboard radiator or wall heater ranges from $400 to $1,070 total cost. A baseboard radiator heater by itself can cost between $65 and $200. They are very common in the United States and most plumbers know how to properly install them.

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How Does a Baseboard Radiator Work?

A baseboard radiator has two sections which employ convection to heat the room. First, a coil of copper pipes carries the hot water. These coils are designed to prolong the flow of hot water so it has time to heat the air in the room. Second, a set of aluminum fins attached to the copper coils facilitate the transfer of heat. As the hot water flows through the coils it heats up the fins, and those fins heat the surrounding air. In addition, the cool air in the room is drawn into the bottom of the radiator where it is heated by the fins. This process continues until the temperature in the room reaches the desired level.

Space Saving Radiator Design

While panel radiators save space in a home by being narrow, baseboard radiators conserve space by remaining low to the ground. These radiators are very short and typically line the walls of a home creating a compact surround of heat. The radiators are ideal for rooms where there simply is not enough space for a free-standing radiator.

Pros – Even Heat Dispersal

While vertical radiators can be pleasing to the eye and even create a nice architectural feature, they do not provide heat as evenly as a baseboard radiator does. That is because baseboard radiators surround the room more effectively. They are the difference between receiving all your heat from one section of the room and getting it from all sides at once.

Baseboard radiator heaters are generally designed to put out the same amount of heat at each location that they are used. That means that your bathroom will be just as warm as your bedroom and the rest of the home will be uniform as well.

Cons – Little Radiant Heat

While panel heaters and radiant floor heaters put out comfortable radiant heat while also heating through convection or the warming of air, baseboard heaters rely on convection. That means when you stand near a baseboard heater you are not going to enjoy that warming effect that you will experience from a panel radiator. It also means that baseboard heaters are not as efficient at heating a space than panel radiators.

When you are looking for an affordable way to heat your home and you have a boiler heating system, baseboard heaters are a good all-around option.