Baseboard Heat?

[Brie Schmidt]

We have a unit that currently has baseboard heat (electric) The tenants we had in there years ago never complained about the cost of heat, but the tenants we have had for the past 2 years say that their bill goes up $400-$500 a month during winter.  

The baseboards were in place when we bought it and that unit was redone within the last 10 years.  Has technology advanced enough that if we replace the baseboards they will be more energy efficient and lower their monthly heating costs?

[Jeremy Pace]

@Brie Schmidt

Honestly, it's likely more of an education problem than an efficiency issue.  I have an apartment that uses baseboard heat ... and that first month, the tenants had a $400 electric bill.

I had a dial installed on each baseboard (1 through 10)  I told the tenant to leave it on a 1 all the time ... and what they did was turn it off, and then crank it to 10 when they were cold.  If your tenant doesn't understand how to use them, they'll be expensive no matter what.

Also possibly related ... many of my tenants think the inside of their apartment should be about 80 degrees in the winter.  This will have an especially devastating effect in electric heat situations, because they will not cooperate with the 'low-and-slow' method that they need to control their heating costs.