First and foremost when it comes to electric baseboard heater installation, everyone involved must be made aware that these heaters operate at 240v, which is deadly. Approach with caution. That said, electric baseboard heater installation is not an overly tricky process and the following article will outline best practise and process.
A Few (sometimes) Easy Electric Baseboard Heater Installation Steps:
A Few Things To Remember With The Electric Baseboard Heater Installation
- Before anything else, you need to determine the size of the room in square feet (this is done by multiplying the width of the room by the length of the room), following which you need to determine the number and type of windows in each room. Older windows without insulation lose heat more quickly and that will need to be factored into the equation.
- The third, fourth and fifth steps are to determine the number of walls of the space that are exterior walls as well as to check if the exterior walls and space directly above and below the room are insulated. A space below an attic with insulated floors or located above a basement are considered insulated. You also need to ascertain if any doors open to the outdoors from this room.
- The next step is to calculate a base line for total watts of electric heat required to heat the space. There a number of ways to do this, but the easiest is to either search for your criteria on the net or to ask a local vendor, after which you should determine how much (if any) more watts of heat over the base line watts to install. All of the considerations above (windows type and number, insulation, etc.) will come into play when purchasing heaters. If all this seems to be too much effort then you should consider portable electric hydronic baseboard heaters.
- Once that is done, it’s time to decide how you want to divide the heaters up. Typically, heaters are installed below windows, where most of the heat loss occurs. Adding more watts of heat will allow the room to reach the desired temperature faster than if no additional watts of heat were installed.
- Once that is all done it is time to get down to the nitty gritty of deciding the size and number of circuits that will be required to sustain the heating load that you require. Installing 240 volt heaters is best as wire sizes and the number of circuits is significantly reduced.
Wiring Up Baseboard Heaters
Next is to determine the location of the thermostat, which should be on an interior wall. It should never be located above a heater or other heat source, or in a dead air space such as behind a door. Once this is done it is time to look at the question of how to wire up baseboard heaters, which can be done if you follow the following bullet points, but shouldn’t be done unless you are safety conscious and knowledgeable or trained in the process.
- Trace a switch box on the wall at 60 inches up from the floor for the thermostat where there are no framing members, etc. Cut the wall open with knife or hand saw.
- Provide a 2 wire circuit (#14 for 15 amp circuit or #12 for 20 amp circuit) of NM type (Romex) or similar cable from the electrical panel to the thermostat location. Unpack the heater(s).
- The two ends are wiring compartments. Provide another 2 wire cable the same size as the one installed earlier between the panel and thermostat, between the thermostat and the baseboard heater.
- Install an additional 2 wire cable between the first heater and next heater.
- Install the appropriate cable connector in the desired end of the heater(s).
- Strip 8 inches of jacket from the cable(s) and install into the connector.
- Remove the wire nut from the heater wires in the compartment that the cables entered, and separate the wires.
- Connect the black wires of the cables you installed together if two cables were installed.
- Connect the white wires of the cables you installed together if two cables were installed.
- Connect the bare wires of the cables you installed together if two cables were installed.
- Connect the bare wire(s) to the green screw of the heater or, if provided, to the green or bare wire that is connected to the heater case by crimp or screw.
- Connect one of the loose heater wires (does not matter which) to the black wire(s).
- Connect the remaining loose heater wire to the white wire(s).
- Make sure the wire nut in the wiring compartment at the opposite end of the heater has the wires tightly connected together.
- Secure the heater to the wall.
- Secure the wiring compartment covers.
- Repeat for each heater.
- Wire the thermostat (The thermostat has (4) wires or terminals). Carefully inspect the thermostat for “LINE” and/or “LOAD” markings.
- Connect LINE side to the black and white wires of the cable that was indicated as “feed” earlier.
- Connect the remaining cable to the LOAD side of the thermostat. Connect it in the same manner as the LINE side.
- Fold the wires into the back of the box and secure the thermostat.
As stipulated above these are merely guidelines to electric baseboard heater installation and should be followed as such to get a general idea of the process. Do NOT attempt installation on your own without the necessary training.
Considerations With Baseboard Heater Covers
Some people often think their heater is not working or there are problems with the current heating solution in their home without inspecting the baseboard heating covers first. There are several things you want to look at with baseboard heating covers before you go changing your current heating system. These include the angle of the cover, obstructions, and the material.
Choosing A Cover
Many people purchase a decorative baseboard heater cover without considering their heating solution. Although, the decorative cover you choose might look nice, it may not be right for your heater. Some people like to paint a wooden baseboard heating cover and don’t think about the type of paint they use. If the air gets too hot, it can heat the paint and cause the air in the room to smell and even warp the wooden baseboard cover. The type of cover you choose for the vent is important. Make sure the material, whether it is plastic or wood is right for your heater. If you like a really warm room, then hot air will be blowing on the cover more than normal.
Look For Obstructions
If it appears your heater is not working right because every other room in the house is getting warm except for one, there may be a problem with the baseboard heating covers. You should always verify there are not any obstructions in the way blocking the warm air from getting into the room. One of the most common things you will see in a child’s room is toys getting trapped inside of the vent. If the cover is big enough for small toy pieces to get inside, they will. It is always a good idea before you run the heaters for the year to take the covers off and inspect the vents. Be sure there are no obstructions blocking the air from being emitted. Also, it is common for people to place furniture over a vent and then not be able to figure out why the room is so cold. Uncover the vents and covers to ensure the air flows throughout the room as it should.
Plastic Covers
Another thing to consider with heating covers is the actual cover. You might have found a plastic cover to put over the vent that adds a nice touch to the decorations in the room. If the cover is angled the wrong way, it may not provide the right heat or cold air for the room. It is common for some vent covers to be pointed toward a wall with a window where all of the warm or cool air escapes. You may need to turn the cover so the air blows in the direction away from the wall or change the cover entirely.
There are many things to consider with baseboard heating covers and your heating system. Don’t hire a heating technician to come to your home because there is a problem with the heater before you inspect the vents and the covers. Be sure there are no obstructions, the cover is installed properly, and it is the right cover for the heating solution.
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