Where is the best place to put a baseboard heater? The best plug in baseboard heaters are a kind of small heating unit which consume cold air and pump out hot air.
The restrictions on their placement can be daunting, with a lot of requirements both for their position in the room and for what furniture can be placed around them.
They need to be given access to incoming cold air, but also need to be able to pump hot air safely into the room. It might be difficult to find the right place for your baseboard heater, but we’re here to help! We’ve taken a look into all the best plug in baseboard heaters. Read on to learn more!
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Where Is the Best Place to Put a Baseboard Heater?
A baseboard heater works by amplifying the room’s convection current: the hot air rises and pushes aside cold air, which sinks down before heating up and rising again.
It should be placed somewhere where it will be able to absorb cold air and pump hot air into the room. One solution might be under a window, with nothing above or in front of the baseboard heater.
This ensures most of the cold air from the window is caught and converted into heat.
Should Baseboard Heaters Be Under a Window?
Under a window is a safe option for placing your baseboard heater and will give the room a good flow of hot air.
However, the heater will work as long as it has access to a steady flow of cool air. If your room has a vent, a passage of cool air coming up from a basement, or a drafty channel between furniture pieces, this could be a good site for placing your baseboard heater.
Do Baseboard Heaters Need to Be off the Floor?
The ideal height to place your baseboard heater can vary, but almost all need to be off the floor. Heaters touching the floor can struggle to pump out warm air and pose a fire risk.
Generally, you must place your baseboard heater 4-6 inches off the floor or higher if you have hardwood flooring.
Where in a Room Are Electric Baseboard Heaters Best Put?
The priority when placing your baseboard heater should be safety and efficiency.
This means that you must check the manufacturer’s instructions for safe minimum height and distance from furniture. For some baseboard heaters, this can be just three inches but can be as much as two feet.
The heater will work best placed in a cool draft with access to the rest of the room. A wall which faces directly into the room is best, where it can pump heat without obstaclesC.
Can You Put Furniture in Front of Oil Baseboard Heaters?
No baseboard heater works well placed behind furniture.
However, oil baseboard heaters can pose less of a fire risk than other kinds. If you have a small space and no way to avoid having some furniture in front of your baseboard heater, oil is a better choice.
However, make sure any furniture is one foot away from the heater to avoid a fire.
Also read: How Can I Lower My Electric Bill With Baseboard Heat?
