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How Much Does It Cost to Install Baseboard Heat?

The price to install baseboard heating elements can vary greatly depending on a lot of different factors. It can be relatively cheap if we’re talking about a small installation and/or you already have some components installed. It’s also easier if your home is in construction or reconstruction at the moment anyway. However, it can also be quite costly.

So, how much does it cost to install baseboard heat? To give you some indicative numbers, the national average cost to install a single electric baseboard unit is between $150 and $200. If you want to install multiple units connected in a single forced air heating system that price while quickly rise. For hot water baseboard heating, the national average cost is between $6,000 and $8,000 for a 1,400 square foot home.

But let’s get into a bit more details.

How much does it cost to install electric baseboard heat?

The base cost of a single electric baseboard heat unit is ~$200 but that’s without counting some of the main additional features you might want:

  • Electric baseboard heaters need a professional licensed electrician to install their wiring. Such licensed professionals tend to charge anywhere between $75 and $250 per hour. This installation process mainly includes running the electrical lines needed for each individual baseboard unit. If these lines are already installed from a previous heating system they will still need to be inspected.
  • The holes for the baseboard units don’t exist, they’ll need to be made too. They can’t be placed anywhere either and manufacturers will demand that they are placed underneath windows or in other key areas.
  • You’ll also need to install a thermostat system with the baseboard heaters so that it all works together to automatically control the temperature in your home. Depending on the size and complexity of the system this can vary in price as well.

What’s the cost to install hot water baseboard heating?

Hot water baseboards are much more costly to install because they include more and larger components:

  • A central boiler unit that will heat up the water.
  • A complex piping system that will distribute the water through the walls of your home.
  • The baseboard heaters themselves which will act as radiators filled with hot water. Alternatively, the system can be using hot steam or oil too but the standard is hot water.
  • All this will also need to be connected to and regulated by a thermostat.

As you can see hydronic/hot water baseboard heat systems are significantly more complicated to install. They almost always require professional help and it’s best to install them during the construction or reconstruction of your home to avoid ruining and having to fix your walls.

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