Allow 30 cm (12 inches) of clearance in front of a baseboard, 6 inches to the sides, and 12 inches above the heater.
These include clearing three feet in front of your baseboard heater, six inches to each side, and 12 inches above it. I would, without question, measure out this space to ensure no furniture or other household item is within it. This is basic fire safety; you don't want to take any chances.
Maintain Clearance: Keep furniture at least 6 inches away from baseboard heaters. This prevents the blockage of heat and reduces fire risk.
1) Per the National Electrical Code Article 210.52, it is a violation to install a wall receptacle above a baseboard heater. However, receptacles that are built into the heater are permitted, but may not reside on the heater circuit.
As a rule of thumb, you should allow for 3-feet of clearance in front of the heater and 6 inches to either side and above the heater. We always recommend consulting the heaters owner's manual as specific requirements may vary from product to product.
IDEAL FOR SMALL ROOMS: The 500W Brava Baseboard Heater is suitable for heating rooms up to 50 sq. ft., such as bedrooms, kitchens, or offices.
Allow 30 cm (12 inches) of clearance in front of a baseboard, 6 inches to the sides, and 12 inches above the heater.
A 240-volt baseboard heater requires its own dedicated 20-amp or 30-amp 240-volt electrical circuit. A 20-amp circuit can safely provide 3,800 watts of power, while a 30-amp circuit is suitable for up to 5,700 watts. The standard circuit cable for 20-amp circuits is 12-gauge; 30-amp circuits need a 10-gauge cable.
Pieces of furniture and other objects increase the risk of fire when they're placed too close to a baseboard heater. You should place all objects, including fabrics, cushions, or wooden items, 6 to 12 inches away from the heaters. These can easily catch fire when exposed to sustained heat.
Better yet, install your thermostat at least 1 stud away from the heater. Moving a thermostat out of the same wall cavity as a heater will help performance. Moving your thermostat into an adjacent stud cavity on the same wall is a better option.
Generally speaking, electric baseboard heaters are safe when installed correctly and kept far away from any flammable materials. Exercise caution if you have children or pets in a home with electric baseboard heat. These become much hotter to the touch than hydronic and burns can result.
Always make sure that there is at least a three feet clearance space between the heater and other objects in the area. This could be TVs, Speakers, ceiling fans, lights or sprinklers. Extra care should be taken with fabrics, such as awnings, blinds or curtains as these items tend to be highly flammable.
Maximize air flow
Drapes should end at least 10 centimetres above the heater, and heaters should sit at least two centimetres above the carpet to allow the cooler air on the floor to flow under and through the electrical element.
NOTE: Baseboard heaters should sit at least 3/4-inch above the floor or carpet. This is to allow the cooler air on the floor to flow under and through the radiator fins so it can be heated.
Electric baseboards get hot, which means you have to keep furniture and curtains at least six inches away from them to prevent fire. If you have young children in the house, they can also be a burn risk.
In general, electric baseboard heaters use more electricity than an electric heat pump. This means higher electric bills, especially in the coldest winter months when they're working overtime to keep your home warm. The placement of baseboard heaters — near windows and exterior walls — can also work against you.
For equipment serving between 120 volts and 250 volts, the regulations require a mini- mum of three feet of clearance. The width of the working space in front shall be 30 inches minimum or width of the equipment. The OSHA standard (29 CFR1910. 305 (d)) requires a dead front on electrical panel boards.
Based on some brief research, we found that, in general, code dictates drapery is to be hung 3" away from the front of your electric baseboard heater.
Calculating the Right Size Hydronic Baseboard Heater
For example, a 10 x 10-foot bedroom is 100 square feet, (10 multiplied by 10 = 100) which requires 3,400 BTUs (100 multiplied by 34 = 3,400). You'd need 5.6 feet of baseboard heater to heat the space (3,400 divided by 600 = 5.6).
So a 240-volt circuit running on a 20-amp, double-pole breaker, can have any combination of heaters up to 3,840 watts. For example, using just one thermostat, you can install: Two 1,500 watt heaters, or. Three 1,000 watt heaters, or.
In other words, a 1,500-watt heater will be great for a 250-square-foot room with central heat. If that same room had no other source of heat, you'd need a 2,000-watt heater.