# Electric Baseboard -vs- Electric In Floor Heating



## Keeyter (Sep 18, 2010)

First I wasn't sure if this was a question for Flooring, Electric, Heating, so General it is.

Doing a Basement and the customer initially wanted electric in floor under porcelain hardwood look a like tile. After seeing the cost, they are now thinking about Electric Baseboard heating. 

The basement is 24' x 25' with 1 32" x 15 awning window and 2 32" x 54" egress casements that will be installed. It will be framed out and insulated with only R-13. Ceiling finished height will be 89". Remember we are in Wisconsin and there will be no forced air so this will be the sole heating source. 

I hate one of these systems, but I will leave my personal feelings aside. Do any of you have some pro and cons of these two systems, cost to operate one versus the other, etc.... I have to give them viable options and cost to install vs cost to operate. I can't find much on the web that pits these two against each other.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

How about a couple of Cadet heaters?
Fan forced and as far as electric heat goes they work well.


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## flashheatingand (May 3, 2008)

Electric floor heat may be more aesthetic, but if something happens, you are going to have to remove the floor covering to find the problem. With Baseboards, should something go amiss, worse case scenario, simply remove and replace the unit.

Cost to operate should be the same.


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## nailkiller1 (Jan 15, 2009)

Sell them on a fireplace
and put it on a thermostat
You could do electric or gas
Heat with a little flair


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## Keeyter (Sep 18, 2010)

I usually put an extra sensor in my in floor heating systems so I am not worried there. We already explored the fireplace option but they have one on the first floor and one on the second floor, they said they were fireplace overwhelmed. 

My concern is cost of install vs cost to operate. I looked at the Cadet heaters and have used them before the problem is where to put them. Two of the three windows will be egress casements so I can't put a baseboard heater underneath them by our local code and them remaining exterior wall locations then take up alot of room as far as clearances for furniture, wet bar, and such. 

But ultimately its gonna come down to cost over time with install vs operation.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Electric heat is purely resistive, so Kw to Kw the cost is the same..... your meter will spin at the same rate.

One difference to take into account is whether a floor heat system could keep up with a sudden drop in outside temp.


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## jarvis design (May 6, 2008)

I always thought in-floor heating just heated the floor, not the room. 
I have installed quite a few systems in bathrooms, but never as the stand alone heating source.
You can definately lower the ambient temperature of the space with in-floor heat, but, unless it doesn't get really cold there, I don't think it will give you the heat you are seeking!
Hydronic in floor heating would heat the room, but probably cost prohibitive.

I like the fireplace idea as well...but if doing tile, I would definately do the in-floor heat.


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## Keeyter (Sep 18, 2010)

I agree with the fact that the in floor heat may not be suffice. We did a heat loss test over the last 6 weeks. The average daily outside temp was 34 Degrees with a low of -2 Degrees and a high of 54 degrees. The temp in the basement (with no insulation, just the 8" Block) was 59 Degrees with a high of 64 Degrees and a low of 47 Degrees. So averaging about 24+ Degrees warmer the outdoor ambient. 

I have put a few In Floor heating systems in entire basements and from going back to check on them I have average 11-15 Degrees above the averages pre installation. Of course all of these did have Batt insulation in the framing. 

From the Calcs it would need between 6600-11,000 BTU with the Baseboard, so the watts from the electric in floor would equal the watts needed from the baseboards, is that correct sparky


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## Smatt (Feb 22, 2011)

In Connecticut back in the day when electricity was supposed to be less expensive they used to put electric heat in the ceiling. A series of wires that were plastered in the celings were supposed to give off radiant heat. That was until the electric bill went through the roof.

I have always wondered how ceiling heat is to be a satisfactory heat source in your house. 

Now I have forced hot air in my current house and it lacks the even convection of base board heat which I am accustomed to.


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## nailkiller1 (Jan 15, 2009)

They also make electric cove heaters
They go up towards the cieling
I have never put one in?


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## radiantheat2011 (Mar 8, 2011)

Electric radiant heat is pretty pricy when it comes to paying your bills. Did they consider hydronic radiant heating?


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I wouldn't consider radiant in a basement unless there is foam underneath the slab. You will lose alot of heat that way.


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## Warmsmeallup (Apr 2, 2008)

Electric baseboard's heat (convection) has always been known to be the worst for efficiency. If you use electric radiant in-floor (low voltage or line voltage), it can be even worse without some kind of insulator in the design between the slab and the surface materials.

If the plan is to use it as primary heat, your way of calculating how much heat they'll need is ineffective. Run a real heat loss calculaton frst and foremost before deciding what type of heat they want to use.

The heat loss coupled with the need for an insulator may knock the floor heating out since they already think that in-floor electric does not fit their budget.

Designed correctly, low voltage electric can definitly work as primary. It won't be the least expensive upfront...probably the most upfront cost, but it will be the longest lasting and cheapest to run over baseboard... kw for kw.


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## JCarsten (Jul 6, 2010)

I haven't used this system yet, but I attended a seminar on it and it was at the least intriguing:
http://www.electricunderfloorheatingsystems.com/
Can be used under carpet and on top of concrete


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