What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of baseboard heating?

Question

many older homes use baseboard heating as a heat source,,just wondering if its considered safe???

Answer 1

yes it is safe but an advantage or disadvantage over what?

Answer 2

There are 2 types of baseboard heat.  Some are electric, while some use hot water.  Each has pros and cons.

For the hot water, the advantages include:

Zoning is relatively easy to do.  If there isn't one, a plumber or HVAC fitter can build a manifold.  Each line connects to the manifold with a valve.  You can open, partially open, or close each valve to eliminate hot and cold areas of the house.  The boiler can be used to heat water for the plumbing system by running a coil of pipe through the boiler.  

For electric heat, you can have a thermostat wired to each unit if you like.  This gives you immediate access to controlling the heat in each area of the house.  Also with electric heat, there is no other energy source required.  A boiler for the water heat must be fueled by gas, oil, or electricity.

The biggest disadvantage to baseboard heat of either type is the lack of ductwork.  You can only use window or through the wall units for air conditioning.  This can be a hassle.  If you are using electric heat plus AC units, you have to make sure that your electrical service is sized to handle the extra circuits required.  

I hope this helped to answer your question.