Electric radiant floor heating vs. electric baseboard heater: running cost
An electric radiant floor heating is cheaper to run: about $69 a year versus $246 for an electric baseboard heater at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $177 difference.
| Electric radiant floor heating | Electric baseboard heater | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 600 W | 1,500 W |
| Watt range | 150–3,000 W | 500–2,500 W |
| Typical use | 6 hours a day for 7 months a year | 12 hours a day for 5 months a year |
| Energy per year | 384 kWh | 1,370 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 5.4¢ | 13¢ |
| Cost per day | 32¢ | $1.62 |
| Cost per month | $9.86 | $49.28 |
| Cost per year | $69 | $246 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $167 | $596 |
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What drives the difference
- Electric radiant floor heating: Electric floor heating mats and cables draw about 12 W per square foot of heated area. The floor thermostat cycles them to hold surface temperature.
- Electric baseboard heater: Baseboard heaters draw about 250 W per foot of length. Figures are per heater; a whole house heated with baseboards typically has 6-12 of them and uses 6,000-15,000 kWh a winter.
Ways to cut either cost
Schedules heat only when the room is used.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, an electric radiant floor heating or an electric baseboard heater?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), an electric baseboard heater costs about $246 a year versus $69 for an electric radiant floor heating. That's $177 more, or 3.6× as much.
How many watts do electric radiant floor heating and electric baseboard heater use?
An electric radiant floor heating typically draws 600 W (range 150–3,000 W). An electric baseboard heater draws 1,500 W (range 500–2,500 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.