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What are Baseboard Heaters?
Baseboard heaters are heating devices installed on the baseboards of rooms. They are generally installed under windows to warm cool air and keep rooms warm and cozy quickly. For homes that require high heating loads, baseboard heaters generally aren’t the most efficient way to heat a space. For some homes where the heating load is very low, like in warm climate zones, their affordability often makes them the safer choice. There are two types of baseboard heaters, electric and hydronic.
Electric Baseboard Heaters
Electric baseboard heaters transmit electric currents through wires encased in piping. The heater pulls cool air in, warms it with electricity, and pushes out hot air, heating a room quickly.
Hydronic Baseboard Heaters
Hydronic baseboard heaters draw water from your water heater into pipes installed in the baseboard heater. Once the water has cooled, it recycles back to the heater, and fresh, boiling water is pumped back in until the room reaches the desired temperature.
A smart thermostat can connect all baseboard heaters to a central control, regardless of type. From there, you can manage your home temperature room by room, even when you’re not at home.
How Does a Smart Thermostat Work?
A smart thermostat automates home heating while reducing energy consumption and saving on heating costs. By connecting through your home WiFi, the smart thermostat will turn baseboard heaters on and off, keeping rooms warm and prevents wasting of energy on rooms, not in use. The system is programmable to your schedule and even learns from your family’s patterns.
A smart thermostat remembers which hours you’re away from home and when you return, warming the house just to your liking, right before you get there. Geofencing will even recognize, via GPS, when you’re returning early to get things nice and toasty warm for your arrival.
Most smart thermostats can be controlled from an app or website, empowering homeowners to turn heaters on and off remotely. That’s an absolute lifesaver for frequent travelers who often forget whether they remembered to turn the heat off before locking up. Smart thermostats can even integrate with smart home systems like Google Home, Alexa, Homekit, and Vera for a complete home automation system.
What Smart Thermostats Work With Baseboard Heaters?
Options are growing daily in the smart thermostat market. Companies like Mysa, Sinope, and Stelpro manufacturer smart thermostats specifically for line voltage thermostats. There are some important considerations before purchasing a smart thermostat. If you have an electric resistance heater, it's almost certain that you have a line voltage thermostat. This includes wall convector heat, fan-forced wall convection heat, electric baseboard heat, and in-floor heating. It's important to note that not all thermostats are compatible with or advised for use with in-floor heating. The manufacturer and packaging can indicate which line voltage smart thermostats are compatible with in-floor heating. Each existing thermostat will have to be replaced with a smart thermostat.
Mysa Smart Thermostat
Mysa offers two thermostat options that are built for line voltage electric heaters and high voltage in-floor heating. The smart thermostat offers multi-room smart baseboard heating options as low as $139. They even offer options to zone your home for separate heating control. Learn more about Mysa Smart Thermostats >>
Sinope Smart Thermostat
Sinope also offers web programmable smart thermostats built to integrate with Zigbee compatible home automation systems starting at $75. Learn more about Sinope Smart Thermostats >>
Reduce Your Home Energy Consumption
On average, households that install smart thermostats with baseboard heating see a 30% reduction in total energy consumption each year. That results in significant cost savings in the cooler months and a reduced environmental impact year-round.
Generating heat, whether by electric or water, uses a great deal of energy. Join the 21st-century revolution of smarter living by decreasing your energy use with the technology and automation of smart thermostats.
Laura Bourland
Laura grew up in the California suburbs, far removed from environmentalism, but nature always has a way. She uprooted her life in 2015, moving to the countryside of Washington to live a more sustainable and simple life on 12 acres. She and her fiancee are learning on the job as they attempt everything from gardening and natural pest control to eco-friendly building and home improvement.
