I'm considering whether it's worth replacing my old electric baseboards in my townhome in southwestern British Columbia. They're nearly 50 years old and honestly look pretty bad, but they still function. Since converting to a heat pump doesn't seem doable for my place, I'm curious if anyone has seen real electricity savings from installing newer, more efficient baseboards? Electricity is reasonably cheap here, and I've got programmable thermostats set up everywhere. I'm just looking for a solid reason to spend money on replacements aside from their looks.
4 Answers
Why not explore the heat pump option a bit more? You could have both the old baseboards and a heat pump together, especially if you don't have extreme cold in your area. Sure, the installation can be pricey, but that AC function could be useful, right?
Actually, electric baseboards are inherently 100% efficient, even if they're really old. Just make sure to keep them clean, since dust can impact their performance. So, replacing them might not necessarily save you electricity.
Yeah, heat pumps can be pricey upfront. Given the low electricity rates, maybe sticking with your baseboards and looking into some modern covers to spruce them up could be a better investment?
From what I've seen, you probably won't save any money on your bills just by swapping out the old for new baseboards. They're all quite efficient as-is.