Electric Baseboard Heating is Expensive: See Your Options for Switching

When choosing how to heat your home, the decision might come down to upfront purchase and installation costs versus long-term costs. Electric baseboard heaters offer a simple, quiet, and inexpensive system which uses electric resistance to warm individual rooms. However, it’s much more expensive to run compared to other electric options.

In contrast, a modern heat pump moves heat instead of creating it, making it three to four times more efficient. While the initial investment is higher, the long-term energy savings and two-in-one heating and cooling functionality make a heat pump a more economical and comfortable choice for most homes and nearly all climates.

What is electric baseboard heating?

Electric baseboard heaters use electric resistance and convection to provide heat. Electric heating elements inside metal pipes are installed along the baseboards of rooms. The heating elements heat the cooler air that naturally settles near the floor. Once it’s warmed, it circulates upward heating the entire room.

Baseboard heating is most frequently used in smaller apartments, older homes, homes with no ductwork, or in spaces like added-on rooms. It can be a good heating system where a zoned, ductless heating source is preferable to a centralized HVAC system.

Benefits of electric baseboard heating

Electric baseboard heating can work for a home with no ductwork. It may be the right heating system in a climate where you rarely need heat and, when you do, heating one or two rooms is all you need. For instance, in Florida you may need heat so infrequently that the cost of using electric resistance heating never outweighs the cheaper installation compared to a furnace or another system.

The energy efficiency of baseboard heating is about 100%. However, it is going to use more electricity and be more expensive to run than a heat pump, which can be effectively 300-400% efficient (and higher with some types of heat pumps, especially geothermal). This can represent major savings in areas with more need for heat.

You can get the top efficiency of a heat pump with no ducts, or energy loss of heating and cooling through ducts, with a ductless, or mini-split heat pump. Mini-split heat pumps give you zoned heating and cooling, the ability to control heat where you want it (and not pay for it where you don’t need it), and none of the safety concerns of baseboard heating. 

There can be secondary reasons to have electric baseboard heating such as having added zoned heating for an addition to a house where you don’t want to add ductwork and HVAC. In very cold climates, baseboard heating can act as a supplemental heat source to a heat pump or furnace.

Electric baseboard heating is relatively inexpensive to install, depending on the size of the area you’re covering with it. It gives off no emissions and is usually very quiet when in use.

Electric baseboard heater cons

Electric baseboard heating, despite the lower initial costs, is more expensive and inefficient to use and heat pumps can be three to four times more efficient. For whole home heating, heat pumps will always be cheaper to operate.

Electric baseboard heating can also pose a burn or fire risk. You must keep furniture, curtains, clothing, paper, and anything flammable clear of the heating elements. You should take extra precautions when children or pets could be near the heaters. Because of proper safety requirements and they work best with free air flow, their space requirements can alter the aesthetics and practical, usable space in rooms or part of your home. 

Electric baseboard heater cons can also include making your home drier and leading to hot and cold spots, especially if you’re trying to heat a larger area.

Electric baseboard heater cost vs. heat pump heating cost

The cost of running a heat pump compared to electric baseboard heater costs, and which one is worth it for your home, depends on the area you need to heat and how much you’ll be running the heat. 

When to consider a heat pump 

An electric heat pump is more energy efficient and the most efficient home heating and cooling option for the vast majority of homes and climates. Having heating and cooling in one system has numerous advantages. You could see cost savings through less maintenance and lower energy consumption, which can then be even lower and cleaner by going to solar power with home solar panels. 

If the initial cost of a residential heat pump is a big question, it may be smart to look into a heat pump lease. Leasing a heat pump with Palmetto’s Comfort Plan gives you the comfortable, energy-efficient heating and cooling for no money down. You also get repair and maintenance covered for the life of the lease. 

You can track your home energy usage and see more ways to save money and energy in the new, free Palmetto app. You can learn more, including about possible savings, with our free Savings Maximizer. 

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a heat pump with electric baseboard heating as a secondary heating system?

There are some climates or regions where electric baseboard heating or another secondary heating system may make sense alongside a heat pump. You may want extra heat in a certain room or for short periods. You may want a backup emergency heat source. 

Is baseboard heating a safety risk?

There are additional safety risks with electric baseboard heating. The hot elements and pipes are burn and fire risks.