how to add treatment baseboard heater system

Apply painters’ tape around the area you will be painting. Mask the wall and baseboard around the heater element using painter’s tape. Apply a metal primer and evenly coat the surface.

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What is involved in the installation of an electric baseboard heater?

This includes installation of a circuit breaker in the main service panel, installing cable runs through walls and floors, installing a wall box for the thermostat, and mounting and connecting the wires for the electric baseboard heaters.

How do you Bleed baseboard heaters?

Turn on the boiler drain by turning the knob counterclockwise. Watch for water to begin to gurgle out of the hose. Locate the baseboard heater that is farthest away from the boiler. On one end of the section of the baseboard will be a small bleeder valve.

Can I replace my baseboard heating with a heat pump?

If you’re interested in having a furnace or central air unit replace your baseboard heating system, you might also be interested in a heat pump. A heat pump will allow you to minimize the use of your other unit while maximizing efficiency for even more comfort.

What are the best alternatives to baseboard heating?

One of the most popular alternatives to baseboard heating is a ductless heat pump. This option is convenient for people looking to heat and cool their homes and has the ability to save you 25 to 50 percent on your electric heating bill.

Can baseboard heaters be upgraded?

Upgrade Baseboard Heaters with Modern HVAC Consider upgrading to a modern HVAC system that will allow you to enjoy energy-efficient heating and cooling to keep your home comfortable year-round. Here are some reasons why you should upgrade from baseboard heating to a heating and cooling system that is more modern.

How can I make my baseboard heaters more effective?

7 baseboard heating efficiency tipsReduce window drafts. ... Adjust the thermostat to your day. ... Practice the virtue of patience. ... Get air flowing. ... Keep them clean. ... Consider programmable thermostats. ... Heat by zone.

Can you hang drapes over baseboard heaters?

Can you really hang curtains over baseboard heaters? The answer to that question is YES as long as they are above the heaters.

How do you update an old baseboard heater?

0:332:16How to Upgrade Baseboard Heating | This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut you also have to be sure to keep these fins. Clear you want to make sure there's no pet hairMoreBut you also have to be sure to keep these fins. Clear you want to make sure there's no pet hair that collects on the bottom of the top to impede air flow up there. So you can pop the cover off.

Should I replace 30 year old baseboard heaters?

All electric heaters are 100% efficient at converting electricity to heat, regardless of how old they are, so replacing old baseboards with newer ones won't save you any energy.

What's more efficient than baseboard heaters?

While ductless heat pumps do work best with proper insulation, they can do more than baseboard heat in a room if it's less than optimal. They are more energy efficient than baseboard heaters – in fact, they are considered one of the most energy-efficient heaters on the market today.

Is it OK for curtains to touch hot water baseboard heaters?

In forced hot-water baseboard heaters, hot water in the baseboard unit heats the incoming air. Naturally, hot-water baseboard heaters can become quite hot. For safety's sake, you shouldn't have anything within 12 inches of a unit. As fabric can be a fire hazard, you must keep your curtains away from a baseboard heater.

How far away should curtains be from baseboard heaters?

Curtains and any other flammable items should be a minimum of 12 inches away from your baseboard heaters to prevent a fire and to allow for proper airflow that's necessary for the unit to operate.

How do I hang curtains if I have baseboard heaters?

When hanging curtains in front of baseboard heaters, the curtains should fall 1″ from the floor and hang 2-3″ from the edge of the heater.

Is it worth upgrading old baseboard heaters?

Replacing your electric baseboard heaters with things like heating ducts or radiant heating may be a significant up-front expense, but you could save as much as 50 percent on your energy bill during the winter months.

How much does it cost to update baseboard heating?

A baseboard heater itself can cost between $25 and $250, not including labor. Because this is not DIY-able, you'll need to budget $75 to $250 per hour for installation. to purchase and install a baseboard heater, you should budget $300 to $500 each.

Are old baseboard heaters safe?

Yes, while baseboard heaters are considered very safe, and the risk of fire is pretty low if misused, there is a risk of fire. Here are some safety and maintenance tips for preventing fire and to maximize the heating capabilities in a room. Don't Block the Airflow.

How much baseboard does 109K emit?

To emit the whole 109K at an AWT of 170F would take 175-200' of baseboard. Do you even have that much baseboard in your house? (A total of 175- 200' of baseboard could emit 35-40,000 BTU/hr at an AWT of 120F, which is domestic hot water temperatures.)

How much fintube do I need for a basement?

At 580 BTU/foot, I should only need about 11 feet of Fintube. And that’s for the entirety of the basement…we’re not finishing all corners of it. I’m figuring on putting 3 feet of Fintube under each of the three 31″x12″ windows.

What is the average load for a Buderus?

Idling losses and abandoned heat on a 95KBTU/hr Buderus when the average heat load was <15K could exaggerate the numbers by that much.

Can a zone thermostat turn on an indirect pump?

The zone thermostat ties into parallel with the indirect Tstat, either one can turn the indirect pump on.

Does Buderus make smart controls?

I believe Buderus makes a retrofit table "smart" control for that boiler which would likely improve the overall efficiency, and make the shoulder season numbers more similar to the dead-0f-winter numbers.

What is baseboard heating?

Baseboard heaters, or hot-water home heating systems, quietly provide relatively evenly distributed heat throughout a building. Water is heated in a boiler usually fired by propane, natural gas or oil. A pump circulates the heated water as steam to baseboards located near the floor of exterior perimeter walls throughout the building.

How to find bleeder valve on baseboard?

Find the valve by opening the hinged access covers on the ends of the baseboard if necessary . Open the bleeder valve by using either a flat-head or Phillips screwdriver to rotate the screw on the top counterclockwise. Open the valve until you can hear air being drawn in as the heating system drains.

How to cool off a boiler?

Turn down the house thermostat to a low setting. Turn off the electrical power supply to the boiler. Some boilers have a simple on/off switch; others are turned off at the electrical breaker or fuse panel. Wait two hours before proceeding to allow the scalding hot water in the system to cool off. Identify the water inlet pipe ...

How to check if expansion tank has a drain?

If it does have a drain, open the drain valve by turning the knob counterclockwise, and drain into a bucket the gallon or so of water that remains in the tank. Close the drain valve by turning it clockwise.

How does an electrician test a thermostat?

To test the installation, the thermostat is turned to a high temperature setting , and the installer checks to make sure all heaters are operating correctly.

How many watts does a baseboard heater use?

A standard electric baseboard heater circuit is a 20-amp, 240-volt circuit that provides up to 4,800 watts of heating power. If the overall heating needs are greater than this, the installer usually plans to install two or more heating circuits to meet the need. It's not necessary, however, for each room to have its own heating circuit. For example, two small rooms with minimal heating needs could potentially be served by a single circuit providing 4,800 watts.

What voltage is baseboard heater?

The installer now turns to selecting the baseboard heaters to meet the heating needs of the room. Electric baseboard heaters are available in 120-volt and 240-volt styles. Professionals prefer to install 240-volt circuits for baseboard heating because they offer twice as much wattage capacity as 120-volt circuits, making it easier to add more heaters without overloading the circuit.

How to calculate wattage needed for a room?

The electrician or contractor begins by estimating the heating needs of the space, which is computed in watts. The installer calculates the square footage of the room and then multiples this by 10 to get a basic wattage need for the room. A 200-square-foot room, for example, has a basic wattage need of 2,000 watts.

How many watts does a 200 sq ft house need?

It's possible, for example, that a 200-square-foot room could require as much as 3,000 watts of electric heating, which is well above the 2,000-watt basic heating need. By adding together the heating needs for each room, the installer determines if a single heating circuit is sufficient or if multiple dedicated heating circuits are required.

What wires are connected to the thermostat?

The circuit ground wires are also joined together, including pigtail wires that connect the ground system to the metal box and to the thermostat. With the wire connections complete, the thermostat is then secured to the wall box.

What is the code for a four wire thermostat?

In some four-wire thermostats, the wire leads are coded to indicate whether they should be attached to the wires coming from the service panel (called the line wires) or to the wires running onward to the heater (called the load wires). The wire leads for the line wires are usually coded "L," while the leads for the heater cable are coded "T," but this coding can vary depending on the manufacturer.

What is a fin heating system?

A series of metal fins connected to a heating element warm the air, which then rises back into the room. Though effective—and often quite easy to install—such units are rarely cheap to run, owing to the high price of electricity in many regions across of the country.

How does a hydronic baseboard heater work?

Hydronic baseboard heaters use a slightly more complex system, in which a boiler heats water (or, in areas prone to power loss and lower temperatures, a combination of propylene glycol antifreeze and water) and pumps it to the baseboard units, which emit heat into the room. Traditionally, these systems operate at 180° Fahrenheit to achieve a comfortable level of warmth in the home, but fuel-efficient boilers that can achieve the same level of heating while working at lower temperatures are gaining popularity. Because the fluid in the pipes of a hydronic system retains heat better than the metal fins of an electric baseboard, hydronic systems are more energy efficient, which makes premium brands such as Slant/Fin and Runtal more attractive for whole-house heating.

What are the advantages of baseboard heating?

Advantages of Baseboard Heating. Baseboard heaters supply heat via either a hydronic, fluid-based system or an electric system, both of which provide several key advantages over traditional forced-air heating. Topping the list of pros is the fact that, involving neither blowers nor ducts, baseboard units operate in virtual silence.

Why are hydronic systems more energy efficient?

Because the fluid in the pipes of a hydronic system retains heat better than the metal fins of an electric baseboard, hydronic systems are more energy efficient, which makes premium brands such as Slant/Fin and Runtal more attractive for whole-house heating.

Which is better, hydronic or electric baseboard?

While both electric and hydronic systems heat effectively, each type has its clear forte: Electric baseboards serve better as smaller-space heating sources or for supplemental heat in a larger room, while hydronic baseboards are more fuel-efficient, depending on electricity costs in the area.

Do baseboard heaters need a furnace?

Typically hardwired into the circuitry of the home with either a 120-volt or 240-volt supply, this type of baseboard heater doesn’t require a furnace, boiler, or any other additional equipment. Operationally, electric baseboards depend on convection: The unit pulls cooler air ...

How does a hydronic baseboard heater work?

Electric baseboard heaters transform electricity into heat energy to warm the room. Hydronic baseboard heaters are filled with liquid in their pipes. When heated, the liquid, in turn, warms the air around the pipes. The air then radiates to the top of the room.

What is baseboard heating?

As inferred by the name, baseboard heating refers to a heating system installed on the baseboard of your home. Baseboard heaters are typically designed to work in zonal spaces such as a living room or bedroom rather than a large, open space. The mechanism of a baseboard heater is simple.

Why are baseboard heaters good?

However, electrical base heaters are favorable in some settings over others. This is due to their energy efficiency. Electricity is typically generated from sources such as oil and gas. Thus, by the time it is converted into heat energy by your baseboard heater, a certain amount of loss would have occurred through generation and transmission. Of course, you don't pay for this loss on your utility bill, but it is still something to consider for the environment.

What is the difference between a hydronic and a convection heater?

The main difference between convection and hydronic heaters is their working mechanism. Convection heaters depend on electricity to produce heat energy that warms the air. On the other hand, hydronic heaters depend on liquids, allowing the heater to stay warm longer even when the thermostat shuts off. This makes hydronic baseboard heaters more energy-efficient and cost-effective.

What is an electric baseboard heater?

In an electric baseboard heater, a metal element is fitted into the metal pipes of the heater. Then, to aid in distributing the heat, aluminum fins are fitted atop the pipes. These aluminum fins are typically built to measure the same height as the heater’s outer casing.

Why is liquid heat good for allergies?

This is because the heat takes care of allergens and dust by adding moisture to the air.

How does a heater work?

The heater works by transforming electricity into heat energy. The heat released helps heat air in the heater, which rises to the top of the room, pushing cooler air to the bottom and into the heater. This cycle continues as long as the heater runs.

What is the best alternative to baseboard heating?

One of the most popular alternatives to baseboard heating is a ductless heat pump. This option is convenient for people looking to heat and cool their homes and has the ability to save you 25 to 50 percent on your electric heating bill.

What is the best furnace to replace baseboards?

A high-efficiency furnace can be a great replacement for old baseboard heating systems. Furnaces can be an intimidating choice, but a newer furnace could help you save much more than models from the past. With today’s high-efficiency furnaces, you could be using up to 30 percent less fuel and energy than an older model. Furnace fuel, such as natural gas or oil, is consistently rising cost each year. A high-ef ficiency furnace can help you to reduce future energy consumption and costs while also reducing your carbon footprint.

Why are heat pumps used?

Heat pumps are a top choice for many people looking to switch their heating source because they are an energy-efficient alternative. With the help of electricity, heat pumps move heat from cool spaces to warm spaces, and vice versa, making it a great year-round temperature controlling tool.

How does a ductless heat pump work?

Unlike typical heat pumps, a ductless heat pump is a stand-alone unit, which allows it to give you more control over the temperature in a specific room. The unit typically only heats one or two areas/rooms in a house, which means you can get a more accurate temperature faster.

Do baseboards run through the walls?

Many homes, especially older ones, feature a baseboard heating system. They run along the walls through each room and give off heat in the colder seasons. Along with heating your home, they also take up space unnecessarily and prevent you from achieving the energy savings your home is capable of. For these reasons, many people choose to get rid ...

Do baseboards take up space?

Many people consider this option an upgrade from a baseboard heating system, as they’re known to take up less space while providing better results. Baseboard heating systems take up room in your home, which could feel like more of a burden, depending on the overall size of your living space.

Is a newer furnace better than a baseboard?

Newer furnaces have the added benefit of being a much less noisy option than baseboard heating systems. They can keep the noise level down while producing more even heat in your home and maintaining the temperature on a more consistent level.