A quick and easy solution to inefficient and ugly baseboard heaters is to have baseboard heating covers installed throughout your home. If you use old fashioned baseboard heaters, you may not be making the most of this heating source, and they may detract from your home's décor. Consider a cover to solve both problems.
Baseboard Heating
One of the least obtrusive and fastest solution to install a heating system is the baseboard heater. No matter whether you use a hot water system or electric heater, baseboard heaters are installed inside a finished room. This means that heat can be added after the fact and frequently for less money during a renovation than in-floor or forced hot air ducts.
With the exception of baseboard radiant panels, most baseboard heaters look similar; a metal cover with an adjustable front extends along the baseboard of the wall. The cover can be opened or closed slightly to help regulate the heat source.
Problems With Standard Baseboard Heaters
The cover which typically comes with baseboard heaters has a few inherent problems which a new cover can solve.
Inefficient
The top of standard baseboard covers opens slightly to help allow the heat to transfer into the room. This system is inefficient; the metal cover typically must heat up to transfer additional heat to the room, which means wasted energy goes into warming the cover.
Paint
Most people will put a fresh coat of paint on their baseboard heater whenever they freshen the paint in the room. This leads to further inefficiency of the heater. The multiple layers of paint mean the metal takes longer to heat and transfer the warmth into the room. Heat can also have a damaging effect on the paint, meaning that it peels frequently and must be retouched.
Unattractive
With the exception of painting a baseboard heater to match the colors of the rest of the room, there is little that can be done about the look of a standard baseboard heater. They come in one basic size, shape and style and fit the décor of very few homes.
Why Use Baseboard Heating Covers?
The fastest and easiest way to transform your baseboard heater into a more attractive and more efficient heat source is with a baseboard heating cover. Most covers can be installed within minutes, and can dramatically update your baseboard heat source.
Efficient Heat
New baseboard covers offer more ways for the heat to transfer directly into the room. The surface area of the metal is reduced by numerous holes, allowing the heat to go right where it is required, not heating the cover.
More Attractive Appearance
Baseboard covers are available in a wide range of styles to choose from. Most are modern or contemporary in appearance, with a sleek, mesh front, but some are available in more traditional styles as well.
The covers can be ordered in several standard colors, or can be painted to match the décor of the room. Since they have less metal on their face, the paint will have less of an effect on the efficiency of the heater than it does on a standard baseboard.
Smaller Profile
In some cases, it is possible to install a baseboard cover which is slimmer and less obtrusive than the standard covers. Forced hot water baseboard heaters can be covered by a much thinner frame than an electric baseboard heater, allowing it to blend into the background of the room even more.
Baseboard heating covers can be found at most home improvement and appliance stores. They can be installed by homeowners in minutes and can quickly and easily upgrade both your heating efficiency and the room's appearance. Consider replacing the covers on your baseboard heaters to get the best of both worlds.
