Baseboard heaters are one of the most common types of home heating systems available, especially in smaller homes or apartment buildings that do not have the space or duct work for forced air systems. However, like all home heating systems, baseboard heaters are susceptible to mechanical failure and reduced efficiency over time due to simple wear and tear caused by age. Understanding the warning signs associated with a failing baseboard heating system can help you identify the problem early so that you can contact a heating services contractor to have them replaced before they fail completely and leave you in the cold.
Increased Energy Bills
A clear indication that your baseboard heaters are starting to reach the end of their lifespan is if your energy bills go up significantly in a month. This can be caused either by some sort of malfunction in your baseboard heater's thermostat, causing it to work harder and longer because it senses that it is not working, or a general fall in efficiency caused by mechanical failure which causes your heater to use more energy to produce more heat. Whatever the reason, you should look into repairing or replacing your baseboard heaters immediately, as waiting can be more expensive then replacement over a long enough period of time.
Drafts and Uneven Heating
If you notice that there are drafts or cold spots in certain areas of your home, or that your baseboard heaters will produce a significant amount of heat at one moment and then suddenly drop down to producing very little, your heaters have likely begun to fail. This usually points to an early issue with the thermostat or heating element, but can also be due to old and faulty wiring which is providing an uneven amount of power to your heater, causing it to work at varying levels of efficiency.
Failure to Turn On
Finally, if the above point is allowed to progress far enough, the most obvious sign that your baseboard heaters need to be replaced is if they fail to turn on at all. If absolutely no heat is being generated by your heaters, the wiring either has broken down completely or the heating element has simply deteriorated to the point where it can no longer generate any sort of heat. Leaving your heaters on not only will increase your energy bills, but also represents a fire risk, as a wiring issue can cause sparking that could pose a safety hazard.
Share13 December 2017
Working with HVAC contractors is an important part of being a homeowner. Not only do your contractors ensure that a new system you buy is properly installed, but they also ensure optimal performance throughout the years through a series of regular inspections, maintenance services, and repairs. But there are lots of things you can do in between your contractor's visits to ensure that your HVAC investment is always in tip top condition, aside from cleaning out the air filters. After working with my dad for more than a decade in the HVAC business, I've put together a few methods homeowners can use to maintain a well working system, and I have published those tips and tricks right here on this blog. I hope some of the information you find here helps you on your journey as a homeowner!
