Oct 30, 2015 Installing click together LVT under doorway and baseboard heater? Discussion in 'Vinyl. I figured I'd start with the doorway side but getting the planks under the fins of the baseboard heater will be challenging. Should I start with the doorway side or with the heater side? Run the new floor under the bracket, and re-install the doors. The experts at DIYNetwork.com show how to install carpet in easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. Place a piece of seaming tape under the seam, adhesive side up. Heat the seaming iron to the temperature recommended by the tape manufacturer, and rest it directly on the tape for 15 to 30 seconds. Use a stair tool to press the cut.
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Electric baseboard heat placement & clearances:
Electric baseboard heat installation, location, and clearance distance specifications are discussed here.
This article series answers questions about all types of electric heating systems and gives important inspection, safety, and repair advice.
Page top sketch courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, education, and report writing tool firm.
We also provide a MASTER INDEX to this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need.
Where Should Electric Heaters be Located for Best Performance in a Building?
While these are not absolulte rules, as Carson Dunlop's sketch at page top illustrates, we usually place electric baseboard heaters on an exterior wall.
Placing the electric baseboard heater below a window assures heat output from an area of the room wall that will tend to be colder.
Fan heaters are best placed on an interior wall.
Photo: a not so hot location for an electric fan heater. We discuss this installation later on this page.
[Click to enlarge any image]
Electric Baseboard Heat Clearance Distances
- Un-obstructed front distance: 1-foot (or more) - 300 mm
- Un-obstructed side distance: 6 inches 150 mm
- Un-obstructed clearance above the heater: 12 inches
Electric Fan Heater Clearance Distances
- Un-obstructed front distance: 3-feet (or more) - 900 mm
- Un-obstructed side distance: 6 inches - 150 mm
- Un-obstructed clearance above the heater: 12 inches - 300 mm
Night Storage Heater Clearance Distances
- Un-obstructed front distance: not given
- Un-obstructed side distance: 3' - 75 mm
- Un-obstructed clearance above the heater: 12 inches - 300 mm
- Clearance below the heater: Night Storage heaters such as the Dimplex Night Storage heater installed in this Christ Church, New Zealand home shown in our photo above are typically installed with the heater feet in contact with the floor.
See NIGHT STORAGE HEATERS & HEAT SINK RADIATORS for details about this type of electric heat.
The following guidance on using a night storage electric heater is excerpted from that article:
Watch out: prevent contact with a night storage heater surface by children, elderly or frail individuals: the surface of an electric night storage heater can be quit hot.
In New Zealand the surface temperature of a night storage heater must meet the requirements of AS3103 that addresses the safety-covering requirements of electric heating appliances. In Europe, the night storage heater surface temperatures meet a similar standard, quoted from Dimplex:
The surface temperatures of this heater are within the requirements of EN60335-2-61, the European Standard covering the safety requirements for Electric Storage Heaters, and momentary contact with any part of the heater should not cause injury.
However, in order to be effective, heaters of any type do get hot, especially around the air outlet grille.- Dimplex XLN / XLSN Operating Manual
Question: clearance between electric baseboard heater & electrical receptacle
2016/09/18 Dennis said:
I am installing electric hydrostatic baseboard heaters, which they do not get hot enough to damage or burn anything. how far offset must the outlets be from the side of the heater? im on a limited budget, and the last thing I need is to fail inspection.
I am installing electric hydrostatic baseboard heaters, which they do not get hot enough to damage or burn anything. how far offset must the outlets be from the side of the heater? im on a limited budget, and the last thing I need is to fail inspection.
This question was posted originally at ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE HEIGHT & CLEARANCES
![Decorative baseboard heater covers Decorative baseboard heater covers](https://www.bchydro.com/content/dam/BCHydro/customer-portal/photographs/objects-products/heating-cooling/baseboard-heater-fullwidth-object.jpg)
Reply:
Dennis,
Clarifying for other readers, I think you mean electric hydronic baseboard heat - that's a more common name for electric baseboard heaters - basically an electric baseboard heat using a sealed unit containing a liquid (silicon oil) that improves thermal mass and heat transfer.
A typical manufactuer's description of the product, using the Qmark HBB 1000 as an example, states:
GO-ANYWHERE DESIGN.
The entire unit mounts flush to any wall and flat on any floor - wood, carpet or tile. The trim, three-inch thick functional design and low operating temperatures allow carpeting to be installed up to and around the baseboard.
Watch out, however about carpeting that blocks air flow through the unit, reducing its heat output and possibly causing overheating.
Watch out: be sure to find and follow the clearances and other instructions for the brand and model of baseboard heater you are installing as those may differ.
Here are some excerpts from the Qmark installation manual:
Do not install heater below an electrical convenience receptacle (outlet).
CAUTION – Heater Operates at High Temperatures. Keep Electrical Cords (including telephone and computer cables), Drapes, and Other Furnishings Away From Heater. For efficient and safe operation, we recommend maintaining a minimum of 6 inches (152 mm) clearance above and in front of the heater at all times. See Figure 2 for minimum clearance requirements for drapery.
Do not install the heater against combustible low-density cellulose fiberboard surfaces, against or below vinyl wall coverings, or below any materials that may be damaged by heat such as vinyl or plastic blinds, curtains, etc.
Important Note: Certain fabrics and materials discolor or may ecome damaged by heat. Therefore, avoid installing heater against vinyl wall coverings or below plastic or vinyl items such as blinds or vinyl drapes since these items may become damaged by the heated air flowing from heater.
Do not recess heater in wall or install heater inside any type enclosure as this will cause heater to overheat and could create a hazard.
Other warnings and instructions apply - the above are not a complete guide, but they do address your question about electrical outlet proximity to the heater.
If you consider the 'do not install below an outlet' advice for this type of heater and that its intent is to avoid overheating an electrical cord that might be plugged in nearb, while we do not have an explicit 'side clearance' in the company's advice, it makes sense to me to keep the heater far enough away from a wall receptacle that electrical cords plugged in nearby will not fall in front of or over or touch the heater.
Looking at other Marley heater clearances (2' to drapes in front, 6' to drapes 6' to the side might be enough; it makes sense to ask your local code inspector ahead of time what they will inspect- go armed with the installation manual
Electric Heat Wall Thermostat Location
- Best location: an interior wall different from the wall on which the electric heater has been installed.
- Avoid installing the thermostat directly above the heater; heat from the baseboard will satisfy the thermostat while other room areas are still cool and residual heat from the heater after it has turned off will delay the thermostat's next call for heat as the room cools.
Note: some permanently-installed fan heaters such as used in bathrooms will include the thermostat built into the heater itself. In this case the question of thermostat location is moot.
Watch out: do not block either type of electric heater by furniture, drapes, or anything else.
Not only will you block heat output, thus increasing heating cost, but you may create a fire hazard.
- Don't install an electrical receptacle outlet above an electric heater.
Electric heat is also widely used to add a local source of heat in a problem area (such as a cold entry foyer) and where it would be more trouble and expense to add warm air or hot water or steam heat for that spot.
In my photo above the fan heater installed in this bathroom provides heat for just this small space. It is operated by the thermostatic control knob at the lower right corner of the heater.
Not so Nice Heater Location, Terrible A/C Supply & Return Air Register Locations
Our photo shows an electric fan heater installed high on the wall of this medical waiting room in Hyde Park, New York. Installing a heat source high on the wall is OK, but not particularly efficient as you're delivering warm air high in the room where warm air wants to stratify in upper room areas anyway.
This design is made worse by the particularly high ceilings in this room.
The result is that the fan heater has to run longer to heat the room, thus it increases the heating cost.
In the same photo you may notice the terrible placement of the cooling air supply register just inches above the cool air return register in the same room.
Placing these registers close together creates a short circuit that sucks cooling air into the return air inlet before it has cooled the room - increasing cooling costs.
Nevertheless, having waited in this office in both winter and summer weather I [DF] can report that the system 'works' - in fact in summer weather the room was uncomfortably cool.
I suspect that the air conditioning air handler is under the roof space in an attic crawl area just behind these two air registers. If that's the case, the installation cost of what was probably a retrofit job would have been much less by taking advantage of the convenience of these supply and return air locations, thus avoiding having to install more ductwork.
We also like to use small electric heat sources in closed crawl spaces and in spots where there is a risk of freezing pipes.
See our article on freeze protection at WINTERIZE A BUILDING.
...
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- ELECTRIC HEAT - home
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Technical Reviewers & References
- Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 3rd Ed 1969.
- National Fuel Gas Code (Z223.1) $16.00 and National Fuel Gas Code Handbook (Z223.2) $47.00 American Gas Association (A.G.A.), 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 also available from National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Fundamentals of Gas Appliance Venting and Ventilation, 1985, American Gas Association Laboratories, Engineering Services Department. American Gas Association, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209. Catalog #XHO585. Reprinted 1989.
- The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update,
- Principles of Steam Heating, $13.25 includes postage. Fuel oil & Oil Heat Magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004.
- The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
- Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
- 'Residential Steam Heating Systems', Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 'D' Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
- 'Residential Hydronic (circulating hot water) Heating Systems', Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 'D' Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
- 'Warm Air Heating Systems'. Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 'D' Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
- Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Volume I, Heating Fundamentals,
- Boilers, Boiler Conversions, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23389-4 (v. 1) Volume II, Oil, Gas, and Coal Burners, Controls, Ducts, Piping, Valves, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23390-7 (v. 2) Volume III, Radiant Heating, Water Heaters, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps, Air Cleaners, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23383-5 (v. 3) or ISBN 0-672-23380-0 (set) Special Sales Director, Macmillan Publishing Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY
- Installation Guide for Residential Hydronic Heating Systems
- Installation Guide #200, The Hydronics Institute, 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
- The ABC's of Retention Head Oil Burners, National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, TM 115, National Old Timers' Association of the Energy Industry, PO Box 168, Mineola, NY 11501. (Excellent tips on spotting problems on oil-fired heating equipment. Booklet.)
- ...
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
- Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
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- Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: [email protected]. The firm provides professional HOME INSPECTION SERVICES and also extensive HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION and home inspection-related PUBLICATIONS. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material.
The ILLUSTRATED HOME illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
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TECHNICAL REFERENCE GUIDE to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment, useful for determining the age of heating boilers, furnaces, water heaters is provided by Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page 'Promo/Redemption' space. - The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
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When installing carpet, you'll notice a slight variance in baseboard height, which is typically between 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch. An easy way to space baseboard off the floor for carpet is by using precut 1/4-inch shims as spacers, which will provide a consistent height throughout the room. A spacer is a piece of material set between a stationary object and the material you're installing. In this case, the spacer is set on the subflooring, and the baseboard is then set on the top of the spacer. The baseboard is then installed and the spacers removed.
Cut two scrap pieces of material, about 4 to 5 inches in length, from 1/4-inch material such as wood shims.
Place a fitted piece of baseboard on the floor next to the wall where you're installing it. Lift up each baseboard end and place a 1/4-inch spacer underneath.
Press the baseboard firmly against the wall. Place a 1 ½-inch finish brad nail near the bottom of the baseboard, by hand or with a finish nail gun, so it will penetrate the bottom plate of the rough framing inside the wall. Space each nail 16 to 24 inches apart across the entire length of the baseboard when securing.
Remove the spacers from under the installed baseboard and reuse them to space and fasten additional pieces of baseboard until the entire room is complete.
Countersink any finish nails with a nail set tool if they're hammered in place by hand or if the nail gun did not work properly. Place a small amount of caulking or drywall spackle on your finger and fill in each hole for a finished appearance.
Paint the trim to your liking and let it thoroughly dry. Install the tacking, padding and carpet. Butt the carpet to the baseboard or press it underneath with the aid of a long-slotted tool.
Items you will need
- 1/4-inch shims
- Baseboard material
- Saw
- 1 ½-inch finish nails
- Nail gun or hammer
- Nail set tool
- Caulking or drywall spackle
- Safety glasses
- Long-slotted tool, if needed
Tips
- Use a stud finder to find the studs in the wall for solid backing when securing the baseboard.
- Use additional spacers if the baseboard material is very long or if it isn't straight to ensure a level installation.
Warning
- Wear safety glasses when operating power or hand tools.
References
About the Author
Josh Arnold has been a residential and commercial carpenter for 15 years and likes to share his knowledge and experience through writing. He is a certified journeyman carpenter and took college-accredited courses through the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters training center. As a Los Angeles-based union carpenter, Arnold builds everything from highrises to bridges, parking structures and homes.