Welcome to Electric Baseboard Heaters!
Electric baseboard heaters are fantastic heating sources, the first thing you should do is to determine the amount of space you want to heat. Once you have done this, you will know what size heater you will need to install.
Electric baseboard heaters are available in two styles, 120 volts or 240 volts. The 120-volt heater is a very popular choice because people think that it is less costly to use since it only uses a single circuit. However, the 240-volt heaters are actually the most efficient because they use both legs of the power source and sometimes this actually cuts the power demand in half.
In order to function properly, electric baseboard heaters need to have a dedicated power circuit. Generally, electric baseboard heaters need a twenty amp circuit with twelve gage wire for either style of heater. Therefore it is not acceptable to just add it to an existing circuit that already has a circuit load. This can be a serious fire hazard.
Electric Baseboard Heaters Placement
Many people choose to install electric baseboard heaters under the windows in their home. If you choose to do this you must be especially careful to keep window covers and curtains a safe distance from the heater.
One advantage to placing the electric baseboard heaters under windows is that the cool air that comes in from the window will be warmed before it reaches the floor. Another good point is that there is usually no furniture under a window that will have to be moved. This provides an open area for the heaters, and that is great if you have installed a baseboard thermostat.
It is acceptable to place electric baseboard heaters thermostats on the baseboard or on a wall in the room that is being heated. Just remember to never put the thermostat directly over the heater because then it will not work correctly. The heater will come on and warm the thermostat almost immediately and as soon as the thermostat cools off , the same thing will happen over and over. The heater will never stay on long enough to heat the room. If you are using a wall thermostat, it is best to place it on an interior wall so that the heat can cover the area that you need heated before the thermostat kicks the heater off.
It is not acceptable to place electric baseboard heaters directly below wall outlets. Cords that are plugged in, can drape over the baseboard heater and cause an electrical fire. This situation is no different than running a cord across a hot stove, and you definitely would not want to do that. Before placing the heater think about the area of the room and how you use plug-in objects. This will help you to decide where to place the heater.
Electric baseboard heaters should always be placed on the wall and never have contact with the floor. The heater should have at least an inch between it and the floor. Using this precaution, will make sure that electric baseboard heaters are far enough away from any flammable flooring or carpet that it does not start a fire.
All flammable materials must be kept away from electric baseboard heaters. It is not safe to store such materials near electric baseboard heaters because pressurized cans and other things of that nature can ignite or explode from the heat. It is much better to be safe than sorry and store these items in a cool place well away from the heater.
Electric baseboard heaters are a great all round investment.