Electric baseboard heaters differ from hot water baseboard heaters, in that they are usually use to heat up single rooms whereas the hot water baseboard heaters are normally part of the bigger central heating system.
Cables inside the electric baseboard heater warm the air which is then pushed out from the baseboard unit. Cold air is sucked in and the heating process continues in this cyclic manner. They are not as efficient to use, for heating purposes, as central heating for example but they do a much better job at heating than the typical portable space heater does.
Temperature is normally controlled by the use of thermostats that are installed in each room. Once the air being sucked back into the electric baseboard heater reaches the temperature on the thermostat, the electric unit shuts down until the temperature in the room drops. This means that rooms that get a lot of use during winter can be warmed, while any rooms that are in disuse during winter can have their thermostat down so low that the heater rarely comes on. Being able to adjust the thermostat if needed makes the electric baseboard heater fairly practical to use.
Of course the main con in many people’s mind with the electric baseboard heater is that it takes up floor space and they can sometimes clash with a room’s overall décor. Not much can be done about their taking up space, but it is possible to decorate or paint the unit so that it matches with your furnishings, if needed. They also need to be installed in an area where there is good air flow so can’t be semi-hidden behind curtains or the couch, or near wall hangings as they may catch on fire. In order to stimulate good heat and air circulation it is often suggested that they be placed underneath a window so that the cold air falls from the window at the same time as warm air is rising from the heater. If they are placed at baseboard level beneath a window there needs to be at least twelve inches minimum clearance from curtains for safety reasons.
Electric baseboard heaters are great to use in bedrooms, where their quiet operation doesn’t disturb sleep and the fact that they can be controlled using a thermostat makes it easy to heat up the room when needed and turn the temperature down when the room is empty.