As an FYI to others reading, baseboard heating is very much a "thing" in rental properties in Eastern Canada. Our hydro power is cheap, so adding baseboard heaters is often the most recommend solution (by contractors) to needing to add heat to a space. It's especially common in rentals where tenants pay for their own hydro
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We chose not to do this in our basement and instead use an electric space heater, made by Twin-Star International (which markets under the DuraFlame name, among others). It has a thermostat, which lets you control how hot it gets, but at any temperature we use it should be significantly lower than the 450-500 degrees F that have been shown to release PTFEs into the air. I have contacted the company directly and received a written reply that my heater was not made with any PFAS substances. Their customer service was very responsive and efficient, I was impressed.
I also learned recently that plug-in, movable, oil-fueled radiators are indeed a "thing" and would guarantee safety for birds and children (does not release fumes, cannot get too hot to the touch) although some models don't seem to circulate air as well the the heaters with fans.