This heating method relies on convection to draw cold air from the floor, pass it over heated fins, and circulate warm air upward into the space. It typically operates using either electric resistance elements or hydronic pipes filled with hot water from a central boiler. Because it requires no ductwork, it allows for simple room-by-room zoning.
Heard on the job
We need to bleed the air out of the hydronic baseboard heating in the master bedroom because the end of the loop stays cold.
Insider tip
Electric baseboards are notoriously expensive to run as a primary heat source, so they are usually reserved for additions or supplemental heating where extending ductwork is impractical.
Also heard as
- baseboards
Do not mix it up with
- Radiant heat: Baseboard heating relies primarily on convection to warm the air, whereas radiant heat warms objects and surfaces directly.