Boiler Heat and Electric Heat in the same House.

PhilWhite

Hi Everyone,

I'm probably the least handy person out there and I cannot seem to find an answer when I google this.

I just bought a house. It's a great little house with a new'ish gas boiler (5-10 years old). There are radiators throughout the main floor that the boiler heats to provide heat to the house. It works great! In fact, I think I am going to like boiler heat much more than forced air.

However, when a previous owner finished the basement and dining room, electric baseboard heat was installed. The kind that has the dial on the wall for the room that the baseboard is in. Throughout the basement and the dining room, there are 4 of these electric baseboards. I know how expensive these can get because this is what I dealt with in college. It's awful.

My question: Is it possible to hook these existing electric baseboards up to my boiler? If so, how? If not, what can I do to eliminate this electric baseboard heat?

Gordy

No you can not hook the electric base boards up to a hot water boiler system. Water flows through the existing radiators.

However you may be able to buy radiators, and or base boards to tie into the existing system for hot water heat.

That's a start. There is much more to it, and I'm suspicious as to why the electric was installed rather than tieing in to the hot water heat.

JUGHNE

You can replace these baseboard electric with hot water baseboard........however some fair amount of expense could be involved.
IIWM, I would go thru a heating season and check the operating costs. Basements are usually not that hard to heat, you may be surprised that you don't see the costs of your previous home.

Steamhead

Gordy said:

...... I'm suspicious as to why the electric was installed rather than tieing in to the hot water heat.

It's called "cheapness".

Gordy

Well my first thought.....pay over time with electric I guess.

JUGHNE

Could have been a DIY basement finishing project. The electric BB htrs would be the cheapest and maybe the whole project was homeowner wiring......sometimes scary.

But it was unfinished and unheated other than pipe losses and most likely not freezing pipes. Could be an easy heat if walls got insulated.

HVACNUT

Is the dining room an addition on a slab (no basement underneath)?
If not, the heating circuit can be cut from an adjacent room and redirected to pick up the dining room.
In the basement, if you don't want to add a zone to the boiler, you could look into installing a ductless A/C, heat system.

Gordy

First thing is first.

I know you are not an avid DIY. But does the areas with electric baseboard appear to not lend itself to running water pipes off the hydronic heating system?

Some pics of the rooms in question. With pics of adjacent rooms with hot water heat, and basement same thing.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Everyone is assuming this is a hot water boiler. I don't see where that was stated. Maybe it's steam. That could account for electric heat in the basement.

Sometimes a small addition with electric heat is perfectly practical.

Could be a good reason for the electric heat. Need pictures

Gordy

Good point!

PhilWhite

All,

Thank you so much for the responses. The kitchen is NOT over the basement. It is on a slab. The boiler is a hot water boiler.

I'll try and get some pictures up tonight.