What You Need To Know About Baseboard Heaters: Do They Pose a Fire Risk?

Although baseboard heaters are no longer the most common type of heating system, they can still be the best option in some circumstances if maintained properly. But when it comes to baseboard heaters, their potential to cause fires is the first thing that springs to mind.

Although baseboard heaters are generally considered to be relatively safe, there is a risk of fire, and the likelihood of a fire developing is low if abused.

Hold on while we discuss some safety advice for using baseboard heaters that might be useful to you. We’ll also go through the various kinds of baseboard heaters and their advantages and disadvantages.

What Are Some Useful Safety Advice For Baseboard Heaters?

Here are some maintenance tips and safety measures to follow to keep your heater operating as effectively as possible.

Preserve The Airflow

A baseboard heater draws cool air inside, where it is heated by coils that are electrically heated. After being heated, the air ascends to the heater’s top, where it pulls cooler air from the surroundings and the cycle is repeated.

For the heater to function as intended, you shouldn’t put anything in front of it to restrict that airflow. There should be a minimum of 6 inches between any furniture and your baseboard heater.

Think About Object Positioning

Placing objects too close to baseboard heaters can restrict airflow and potentially increase the risk of a fire if those objects are flammable. If your heater is next to or above the curtains, make sure they aren’t too near to touching.

Thermostat Control

Only one thermostat should be used to control all of your heaters. Even if you wish to install numerous baseboard heaters in different locations around the same room, a single thermostat is always the safer option.

It is nevertheless better than many thermostats that are influenced by the heat from other surrounding heaters and go on and off arbitrarily, even though it may result in some units turning on or off at slightly different temperatures.

The Thermostat Should Remain Set At A Single Setting

Baseboard heaters do take longer to heat a space, so you might be tempted to turn the thermostat up to a high setting to warm your room more quickly.

The truth is that a room won’t warm up any faster if the heater’s temperature is raised than if it were at a lower setting.

Be Particularly Wary Of Children

Children should never be around any source of heat, including baseboard heaters. Children should not be allowed near these heaters as direct contact with some of the elements can cause serious burns.

Additionally, extra safety measures should be taken to prevent young children from putting toys or other items inside the heater. If there are any foreign things within that come into touch with the heating source, the devices pose a fire risk.

Additionally, if your children are old enough to understand, explain to them the dangers of baseboard heaters and how to keep safe around them.

Vacuum Regularly

Even while dust buildup in your heating unit won’t always provide a safety problem, it’s essential to frequently vacuum your heaters to remove accumulated dust and debris.

Baseboard heaters frequently produce a burnt-dust odor when first turned on at the beginning of colder winter. Vacuuming can help to get rid of this stink problem.

What Kinds Of Baseboard Heaters Are There?

There are two types of baseboard heaters: convection and hydronic.

Convection

Convection baseboard heaters draw cool air that collects close to the floor, warm it over metal fins that have been heated by electricity, and then enable the heated air to rise back into the room.

Convection heaters are the most prevalent and are often connected to a home’s electrical system.

However, certain inexpensive devices can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet. Baseboard convection heaters are available in a variety of sizes and heat outputs.

Convection baseboard heaters have a significant flaw in that they don’t maintain a consistent temperature for very long after the thermostat is turned on.

This form of heater is also completely driven by electricity, in contrast to hydronic heaters that can really be fueled by a central heating boiler.

Hydronic

Radiant heat is spread throughout the space by hydronic baseboard heaters, which use an internal reservoir of heated fluid. They can be stand-alone devices with an electric heater heating a liquid reservoir inside of them, or they can heat water using the central heating boiler in a residence.

Convection baseboard heaters always consume more energy than hydronic baseboard heaters do. Because the fluid reservoir is still heated long after the heater has stopped operating, they do not require a constant source of energy to maintain the necessary heat level.

One disadvantage of hydronic systems is that they take longer than electric coil convection systems to heat up and reach the appropriate temperature. Their main advantage is that their heat lasts longer.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Baseboard Heating?

Here are some benefits and drawbacks of baseboard heating to help you decide whether to use one:

Pros
Baseboard heater benefits include the following:

• The zoned system allows the user to choose which rooms should be heated.
• The heaters allow families to maintain varying temperatures in their rooms.
• They are inexpensive and easy to install.
• They can be installed in both new and old homes because they don’t need ducts for the installation.
• When in use, this heating system is silent.
• These heaters are easy to clean and have a long lifespan.
• Some models of mounted smart thermostats can communicate with them. This addition would help to restrict usage and only heat particular areas of the house as needed.

Cons

• Because of how hot they can get, baseboard heaters can provide a burn risk, especially in homes with small children.
• They must be unencumbered by furniture or other combustible materials, and they must be at least an inch off the ground.
• Baseboard heaters cannot effectively or inexpensively heat large, drafty, or inadequately sealed homes.
• These heaters aren’t designed to move air because they don’t have built-in fans. Therefore, if you need to heat a large space and want the warm air to circulate, this might not be the ideal option.
• The cost may be considerable if the baseboard heater uses electricity because the electricity demand may rise.

What Are The Most Common Issues That Baseboard Heaters May Cause?

Here is a list of typical issues that can arise when utilizing baseboard heaters. Here are a few examples:

A Circuit Breaker Trips Immediately

If this occurs, the system has a short someplace. Replace the fuses in the breaker box to potentially remedy this issue.

However, it could be necessary to install a new circuit breaker or replacement wire. It is safer to call a technician than to handle electrical components yourself while checking these areas of your machine.

The Heater Shuts Off Without Tripping The Breaker

If your baseboard heater runs for a while before shutting off without tripping the circuit, you may have a defective thermostat. Try it out by turning up the heat.

You must replace your thermostat if there are any problems with the wiring or functionality.

Heater Isn’t Working

If your baseboard heaters aren’t heating the room, look around them. Make sure the vents are not blocked by any furniture or drapes. Check the thermostat to make sure the heat is on and set to the proper setting.

Clear the vents of any furniture or children’s toys. Check the electrical system if your heater is still not producing heat after a few minutes. Breakers frequently trip with baseboard heaters.

Check the heater’s internal valves as well. Without enough lubrication, valves could rust and stick together, preventing heat from entering the area.

The Heater Won’t Stop Running

A baseboard heater will run continuously if the thermostat is malfunctioning. Your energy expenditures can increase if your thermostat is damaged. The best course of action is to change your thermostat in order to reduce your energy costs.

Make sure the thermostat is set to the proper temperature. Before lowering the temperature, wait for the baseboard heater to switch off. Your thermostat may have a clogged contact if the heat persists.

Burning Smell

During heat production from the baseboard heater, you could smell something burning. This smell is typically brought on either dust accumulation on the vents or burning lubricant.

In case a foul smell is detected while your baseboard heater is functioning, turn it off. Before cleaning the vents with a wet cloth, let the heater cool. Restart the heater and contact for servicing if the stink persists.

Conclusion

Although baseboard heating is typically safe, you must take precautions to safeguard kids, pets, and your property.