Electric Baseboard Vs. Cadet Blowers?
nesika41
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
Here on Oregon coast, where electric is cheap and heat requirements modest, people seem divided between baseboard and fan type electric heating. It seems to me the only factors are: baseboard is a little more obtrusive, but cheaper. Fan types (Cadet is favored, despite law suits) would be quicker–one might wish to have one in bath–but the fan gives out eventually, and makes some noise.
Any factors I’m not thinking about?
Replies
While I can't vouch for the safety of the Cadets or the Picawatts, I personally believe baseboard heaters to be unsafe. There was an issue locally a few years ago with some rental houses where tenants had placed couches and other furniture up against baseboards and caused fires. The Landlord had made a rule that furnishings had to be placed at least 18" away from baseboard heaters and he was being sued by tenants.
I rememember clearly a few years ago, I had a crew removing file cabinets from an office that was to be renovated and behind one row of cabinets was scorched paneling and a patch of melted carpet.
To me, it's a no brainer...I'd rather have something noisy and ugly than something that's quiet and lethal.
And in all honesty, IMO the wall heaters may have the same risks.
I'd rather concern myself with issues of interest to people of reasonable intelligence. We could talk about all vehicles being unsafe because some people store spare containers of gas under the hood; all houses are unsafe because some people put their children on the roof to play; all stoves are unsafe, all bathtubs, stairs, kitchen cutlery. Jeezopeezo, Notchman, I appreciate your input, but, jeezopeezo! This is going to be my place, and, call me irresponsible, but I ain't going to worry that it might in the future fall into the hands of someone with an IQ of 47.
Hey, lighten up! I just gave my opinion, which is what you asked for. I have no doubt you're intelligent and responsible and observant and all that. But a relative of mine with a Phd and more relocated a bed next to a wall heater in our guest cabin while the heater was running because she felt cold!
So I'm just a little goosey about some of these heaters and the baseboard units, popular as they seem to be, are on my NEVER list.
So let me modify my reply by saying check out the history and the quality of the heaters you are contemplating and maybe even verify your findings with an electrician who has some experience with them.
Happy 4th of July!
Gosh, Notch, I WAS light. If I get heavy, you'll know it. (Grin)
One thing your (first) post made me think about later, though, was that the placement of baseboard heaters could limit room arrangement more than wall blowers. A wall blower, for instance, could be placed next to a door, where, typically, no furniture's going to be put anyway.
I'd rather use radiant floor (yo, Barry) but I'm really strapped for cash.
Seems to be just you and me duking this one out. I will confess to having a couple of wall heaters in my house. They have improved them a lot since I first encountered them in a home I had in Eugene. Those were noisy...the newer ones are pretty quiet and do a pretty effective job in smaller rooms and they seem to be put together OK.
Wall heaters can interfere with room arrangement too, but if they're installed strategically with that in mind, it's a minimal problem.
Yeah, seems to be jest us.
I just discovered a good possible alternative: hydronic baseboard heat. The ones here look pretty nice:
http://www.aimradiantheating.com/
Click baseboard.
Cake and eat it, too?
Looks good! let me know how it comes out. Good luck!
You can also do radiant heat. There are ceiling heating pannels available. I have no idea how well they work.
And there are the underflood electrical heating systems. Most of them are only speced for tile, but at least one will work with vynals and I think carpet.
Don't remember which one. But I ran across there website once and they explained why theres was different. If I remeber correctly they had a lower power density.
While hydronic heat is safe, it may not be an option to install if there's already electric there.... but you could install a hydronic electric baseboard. Here's one example: http://www.repesa.com/manufac/qmark/hbb.htm
Intertherm used to make similar heaters including wall heaters.. I had one in my old 4-plex that was great; quiet fan, good heat. Alas, it died and I couldn't find Intertherm around, think they were bought up by Cadet or someone...
I would never buy anything from Cadet. They are notorious for electric heaters that start fires. They have several lawsuits against them for deaths from fires started by their heaters. We had one of their fan heaters catch fire. It was high on the wall with nothing near it, the material inside caught fire. Fortunately we were home and awake. I called Cadet and they blew me off. I'm thinking hey, I just told you that your heater started a fire in my home that could have killed my family and you don't care?
Gas is also common on the Oregon coast.
Steve