Where is the best place to put a baseboard heater?

Author: Camilla Prosacco  |  Last update: Friday, January 2, 2026

Here's a quick rundown of the best practices: Fan heaters work best on an inside wall; baseboards are best under a window. (But you can install fan heaters on outside walls and baseboards on inside walls.) If you're installing a heater by a door, make sure the heater isn't blocked by the door when it is open.

Where should baseboard heaters be placed?

If you want to make sure your room is heated properly, you can place your baseboard heater right under the window. This will help you warm up your room a lot quicker and more efficiently. This happens because the cold air coming in from the crevices of the window sets down.

Is it cheaper to leave baseboard heaters on all the time?

Not really. The cost of heat is determined by the time the furnace or heater runs. Whenever it is off, there is no cost. After being off, it takes longer to regain temperature, but not sufficiently to be longer than if it were on all the time.

Do baseboard heaters have to go under windows?

The gist is that cold air from the window mixes with warm air rising out of the baseboard, that warm air moves around the room, cools and sinks back to the floor, where it is eventually re-heated by the baseboards. That's why traditionally it's recommended to install a baseboard under a window.

Is it safe to put furniture against baseboard heaters?

Keep Your Furniture Away From The Heater! It's recommended to place furniture (sofa/couch, chairs, lazy-boy, etc) more than a foot away from a heater. Any closer and it diminishes the heaters performance and could be a potential fire hazard.

Electric Baseboard Heaters: Pros and Cons

Do baseboard heaters use a lot of electricity?

If you rely mostly on electric baseboard heaters to heat your home, they probably make up a big part of your annual electricity bill – sometimes as much as 44%. However, there are plenty of ways to maximize the efficiency of your baseboard heaters to cut down your winter heating costs.

Can baseboard heaters sit on carpet?

Baseboard heaters are seldom located in the far interior of a building, but instead along the building's inside perimeter, where the greatest heat loss occurs. NOTE: Baseboard heaters should sit at least 3/4-inch above the floor or carpet.

What is the rule of thumb for baseboard heating?

Myth #2: Bigger is Better.

The rule of thumb for sizing a baseboard, or any electric heater, was 10 watts per square foot. So if you have a 10 x 10 room you would need a 1,000 watt heater.

Why are heaters usually underneath windows?

This is because the heat in the room is easily lost through the thin glass which creates a cold area close to the window surface. By placing a radiator directly underneath the window, hot air is produced and released, which then rises to hit the cold air from the window.

Where are baseboard heaters ideally suited?

Baseboard heaters supply heat to each room individually, so they are ideally suited to zone heating, which involves heating the occupied rooms in your home while allowing unoccupied area (such as empty guest rooms or seldom-used rooms) to remain cooler.

What is the downside of baseboard heat?

Dangerous and uncomfortable

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. The heat generated by baseboard heaters is a very dry heat.

How can I lower my electric bill with baseboard heat?

How to Bring Down Your Baseboard Heating Bill
  1. Keep Your Heater Clean. Allowing dust and grime to build up on your baseboard heater can begin to reduce its overall effectiveness. ...
  2. Turn Down the Temperature. ...
  3. Upgrade to a Hot Water Heater.

What is better than baseboard heaters?

Ductless heat pump systems offer precise temperature control. Small and sleek, they don't detract from your home décor. They provide more comfortable heating, with less of the dryness and irritation caused by electric baseboard produced heat, so that you can breathe easier.

What are the rules for baseboard heaters?

A distance of at least 8 inches / 20 centimeters must be maintained between the baseboard heater and furniture, curtains, bedding, or any object that would trap the heat. Since furniture cannot be placed up against the heater this can limit the space available.

Where in a room are electric baseboard heaters normally placed?

Typically baseboard heaters are installed under windows and on perimeter walls of the home.

What is the best temperature for baseboard heat?

Choose an energy-efficient setting: 68 degrees when you're home and 60 degrees when sleeping or away. (Exception: For ceiling cable heat, change only 2 to 3 degrees at a time for the most efficiency.) Each degree you lower the temperature throughout your home saves an estimated 2 percent on your heating costs.

Where do windows lose the most heat?

Most of the heat lost is due to radiation through the glazing, with air leakage coming in a close second, especially from windows with poor insulation. The remaining heat loss tends to be caused by heat convection through cavities and poor heat conduction through the frame of the window.

Is it a good idea to put a radiator under a window?

The traditional place to position your radiator is the coldest part of the room. Whether that's beneath your window or against the wall. This is due to conduction, with incoming cold air causing more effective heat conduction and pushing the hot air from your radiator into the middle of the room.

Why are heaters best placed near the floor?

Answer: A heater makes a room warmer by convection currents . The cold air comes down to get heat from heater and warm air (convection currents) lifts up in the room . If heater is placed at a height , then cold air below this height will not be heated by heater therefore it is installed near he floor of room.

What size baseboard heater for a 12x12 room?

For example, if you are heating a 12-foot x 12-foot bedroom, the space includes 144 square feet. Multiplying this by 10 watts shows that the necessary heater wattage for the room is 1440.

How many square feet will a 1500 watt baseboard heater heat?

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.

How many baseboard heaters can I put on one thermostat?

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.

Where should electric baseboard heaters be placed?

Placement of a Heater and Thermostat

Electric baseboard heaters require a minimum of 1 inch of air space under the unit for the convective airflow to work correctly. They also should have at least 12 inches of clearance from window coverings and furniture.

Is it bad to put a couch in front of a baseboard heater?

Simple answer, you should not place anything in front of your heater as it is not safe; this includes any kind of furniture, drapes, paper, bedding, and people.

What can I put in front of a baseboard heater?

You can place a couch or chair in front of a heater, but it must be at least a foot away. Placing furniture closer than that creates a potential fire hazard, and it can greatly diminish the heater's performance by restricting airflow to and from the heater.

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