Baseboard Heater - Up to 150 sq. ft.

Different baseboard heaters can cover a variety of different room sizes. The baseboards heaters listed above cover up to 150 square feet. This estimate can be affected by things such as room insulation, number of windows, and ceiling height, but for most standard spaces, the amount of coverage is accurate to the one displayed.

Depending on the length of the heater, more space will be needed, but a good standard to follow is leaving 12 inches of space in front of the heater and an extra 6 inches on either side. This ensures that air will be able to flow freely without any heat trapping.

To choose the correct electric baseboard heater for your space, you must first calculate the required wattage for the heater. To do that, you simply need to multiply the room’s total square footage by 10. So, for a 150 square foot room, the baseboard heater would need to have a wattage of 1,500 or more. The wattage might vary slightly if the space has ceilings higher than 8 feet or poorly insulated walls, but for standard homes and businesses, the times 10 rule is a good equation to use.

A 120V and a 240V baseboard heater are classified as such due to the different voltages of the circuits they need to derive power from. Standard homes most commonly have 120-volt circuits, while 240-volt circuits are more often used to power large appliances like dryers, water heaters, and HVAC systems. Electricians tend to use the 240V circuit to install baseboard heaters because they have the same size and type of wire as 120V circuits while drawing twice the amount of power. Wiring to a 120-volt circuit is the easier method for at-home installation, but if you’re doing it yourself, it is still advisable to consult with an electrician to verify what kind of circuit(s) you have in your home.

Built-in thermostats or wall thermostats are the two main types of thermostats that electric baseboard heaters have. Built-in thermostats can be either digital or dial, and though they save on installation costs, they are less convenient and have the potential to give inaccurate temperature readings from where they are located near the floor. Most baseboard heaters, however, have line voltage thermostats that are mounted separately on the wall and connected to the heater via power cable. Line voltage thermostats are the preferable option because they are more reachable and likely to get accurate temperature readings. Before purchasing a wall thermostat for your baseboard heater, verify with the manufacturer or the product manual to ensure its compatibility with the baseboard heating system you choose.

Baseboard heating has many benefits, including the following:

• They are practically noise-free, unlike forced-air systems that intermittently blast air. They work well in bedrooms and home offices.
• They require no ductwork and have simple installation processes. Little to no renovation is needed to add a baseboard heater to your space.
• They provide individual heating and temperature control, ideal for spaces that need a direct, concentrated heat source.
• They have easy maintenance needs, only needing their fins to be cleaned of dust twice a year. If properly maintained, they can last for 20 years or more.

If you’re installing 120-volt heaters, a 20-amp circuit can support any amount of baseboard heaters that have a combined wattage of 2,400 watts or less. A 20-amp circuit can support any number of 240-volt heaters whose wattages total 4,800 watts or less.

A 15-amp circuit can support any amount of 120-volt baseboard heaters that have a combined wattage of 1,440 watts or less. For 240-volt heaters, a 15-amp circuit can support any number of heaters whose wattages total up to 2,880 watts.