Electric baseboard heating in a condo is the worst.
December 10, 2020 2:39 PM Subscribe
Winter is here, and with it my renewed hatred for my electric baseboard heating. So much money for so little actual warmth!
I own my condo, but I share a building with several other folks and am restricted by condo regs, so major alterations to the structure of the building are out. But the cost of this method of heat is ridiculous for how poorly it actually heats my space. My question is two-fold: first, is there something more energy-efficient that's wall or ceiling-mounted that works better that I should consider installing instead? I'm willing to throw some cash at this, if it means investing in improvements to my home, and to stop being such an energy-waster, which makes me feel guilty at the same time I'm cold.
Second question, should I just ditch the idea of installing anything new, and invest in some really good space heaters instead? My condo is small, about 750 square feet. Two good ones should do the job. And which ones should I get, if I go that route? Recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
I own my condo, but I share a building with several other folks and am restricted by condo regs, so major alterations to the structure of the building are out. But the cost of this method of heat is ridiculous for how poorly it actually heats my space. My question is two-fold: first, is there something more energy-efficient that's wall or ceiling-mounted that works better that I should consider installing instead? I'm willing to throw some cash at this, if it means investing in improvements to my home, and to stop being such an energy-waster, which makes me feel guilty at the same time I'm cold.
Second question, should I just ditch the idea of installing anything new, and invest in some really good space heaters instead? My condo is small, about 750 square feet. Two good ones should do the job. And which ones should I get, if I go that route? Recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
If you want to reduce your heating bills and are restricted to electrical heat only, a mini-split heat pump will do it. It does require the mounting of an external condenser unit that your condo association would have to approve. It would also give you air conditioning for summer use. They're not cheap though.
If you can convince a number of neighbors to do it, it's likely a contractor can be found that could do multiple units for a reduced price.
posted by ShooBoo at 3:18 PM on December 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
If you can convince a number of neighbors to do it, it's likely a contractor can be found that could do multiple units for a reduced price.
posted by ShooBoo at 3:18 PM on December 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
Any purely resistive heating solution (space heater, baseboard, heated floor) is going to be much more expensive to run compared to a heat pump. The resistive heater burns 100% of the electricity to make heat. A heat pump generates 3x or more heat per watt than resistive heaters, because it's not burning the electricity, it's pumping heat from outside to in. That's like spending $600 on electricity to run space heaters to get the same amount of heat you'd spend $200 of electricity on for a heat pump. Yes, they even work in Canada.
You will make your money back in just a few winters if you get one installed. And the air conditioning in the summer is a lovely bonus.
I'd go to the mat hard with the condo board to get mini-splits put in throughout, or at the very least get a variance for yourself. They're so much better.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:07 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
You will make your money back in just a few winters if you get one installed. And the air conditioning in the summer is a lovely bonus.
I'd go to the mat hard with the condo board to get mini-splits put in throughout, or at the very least get a variance for yourself. They're so much better.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:07 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Unfortunately, any type of external unit will not be approved. I own a "front porch unit", and my condo association is a historic community, so alterations to the outside are strictly limited. Back porch units, which don't face the street, have some additional freedoms, but not many. My unit also has the original hardwoods, so I don't think floor heating is an option for me.
posted by backwards compatible at 5:02 PM on December 10, 2020
posted by backwards compatible at 5:02 PM on December 10, 2020
OK, that's unfortunate, just know that a mini-split has a lot of options for placement of the external condenser, it's not like a window air conditioner where it has to be a wart on a wall.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:06 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:06 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
Maybe discuss this with other condo owners in your community? I’m sure they’re also not thrilled with their bills. Maybe there’s a solution you can get to as a group (maybe you could get a deal that way, as well).
In the meantime, I supplement forced air with an oil radiator, which provides a totally comfortable, radiant form of heat. I just got the budget one at my local hardware+ store, and it’s lovely. I don’t use it that often, and turn the heat way down at night, so don’t actually know how much of a difference it makes budget wise, I think it’s not bad.
Have you reached the limit of what’s feasible re minimizing heat *loss*?
posted by cotton dress sock at 7:40 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
In the meantime, I supplement forced air with an oil radiator, which provides a totally comfortable, radiant form of heat. I just got the budget one at my local hardware+ store, and it’s lovely. I don’t use it that often, and turn the heat way down at night, so don’t actually know how much of a difference it makes budget wise, I think it’s not bad.
Have you reached the limit of what’s feasible re minimizing heat *loss*?
posted by cotton dress sock at 7:40 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you could bring in a natural gas line, there are standalone heaters that put out a ton of heat at very low cost. One or two of those could *easily* do the vast majority of the heating job in a 750 sq ft unit. The type I'm thinking of are unvented, so they don't require a chimney etc etc etc. Just a gas line. There are also units that run on propane.
Example. (Just the first example I found, not a particular recommendation.)
If no gas/propane line is possible, some of my family members have used kerosene heaters that are similar.
Example (again, not a specific recommendation)
My experience, the natural gas/propane units burn clean and you don't even know they're running except that you get warm. (All these types are unvented, so you don't really want them running overnight or when you're asleep.) The kerosene units, by contrast, to leave the space with something of a musty smell when used extensively. My parents ran these units for years, so it's not really unbearable but still definitely noticeable--say, to someone who doesn't live there all the time.
posted by flug at 9:22 PM on December 10, 2020
Example. (Just the first example I found, not a particular recommendation.)
If no gas/propane line is possible, some of my family members have used kerosene heaters that are similar.
Example (again, not a specific recommendation)
My experience, the natural gas/propane units burn clean and you don't even know they're running except that you get warm. (All these types are unvented, so you don't really want them running overnight or when you're asleep.) The kerosene units, by contrast, to leave the space with something of a musty smell when used extensively. My parents ran these units for years, so it's not really unbearable but still definitely noticeable--say, to someone who doesn't live there all the time.
posted by flug at 9:22 PM on December 10, 2020
Don't do unvented gas heaters / fireplace. They vent massive pollution directly into your home. There is a reason they aren't to be ran more than 3-4 hours at a time.
If you can do gas (and a vent), get a vented stove. Will actually heat your place properly, be very cheap to run, cost 1/4 the price of a mini-split, and pay for itself in 2-3 years. The venting might be an issue in a condo, however.
posted by weed donkey at 9:45 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you can do gas (and a vent), get a vented stove. Will actually heat your place properly, be very cheap to run, cost 1/4 the price of a mini-split, and pay for itself in 2-3 years. The venting might be an issue in a condo, however.
posted by weed donkey at 9:45 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Heating yourself is the only way out. Warm slippers, electric blankets, hot tea, and a hot bath.
posted by flimflam at 12:31 AM on December 11, 2020
posted by flimflam at 12:31 AM on December 11, 2020
Best answer: I have an all electric house with baseboards. The problem is that the heat doesn't circulate. So I bought 2 Dyson fan heaters and use those instead - one for living room, one for bedroom. I turn them off at night or when I'm not using the room. (My kitchen has a split system). Seems to work OK so far.
posted by andreap at 1:53 PM on December 12, 2020
posted by andreap at 1:53 PM on December 12, 2020
Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I appreciate the input - sadly there's no magic answer that I was hoping for. I think the answer is a couple fan heaters, and just heating myself (and my cats, as necessary, although they don't really seem to care that much).
posted by backwards compatible at 4:57 AM on December 15, 2020
posted by backwards compatible at 4:57 AM on December 15, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by frumiousb at 3:01 PM on December 10, 2020