Recommended Baseboard Heater Size

Unit Size

• Baseboard heating units range in size from around 20 inches to 102 inches and are usually white or almond in color. The smaller units have lower wattage and are ideal for warming smaller spaces. The larger units have reinforcements in the center to support the weight of the steel casing, and mounting holes are positioned at regular intervals along the unit for attaching it to the wall.

Heating Capabilities

• Heating capabilities of baseboard heaters vary from 300 watts in the smaller units to 4,800 watts in the largest. Other sizes in the range include 500, 700, 1000, 1,250, 1,500, 1,750 and 2,000 watts. Installation of a heater with larger capabilities than needed ensures that the temperature in the room remains at optimum level. A larger heater also draws less energy than a smaller unit, which may struggle to maintain the temperature set on the thermostat.

Electrical Installation

• The electrical specifications of the heaters include the wattage, which is commonly 120 volts for the units that deliver up to 1,500 watts and 240 volts for the larger units. The heaters must be wired to the correct size volt circuit, to avoid overheating and damage. You can install a built-in thermostat on the heater itself for single use, or control all the heaters in the home using a wall-mounted thermostat.

Recommended Size

• Installers of baseboard heaters recommend calculating the power needed for heating a room by multiplying the size of the room by 10. A bedroom measuring 10 by 10 feet, or 100 square feet, requires a heater that can deliver 1,000 watts of power. A room of 20 by 30 feet, or 600 square feet, therefore, needs heating capabilities of 6,000 watts. This is delivered more efficiently by using several smaller baseboard heaters instead of one or two large ones.

Installation

• Baseboard heaters are usually installed along the outside walls of the home, to radiate the heat inwards. This means they may be located underneath windows, where the rising warm air is able to counter the falling cool air that enters through the glass. The heaters should be positioned a minimum of 3/4 inch above the floor, to enable the unit to draw cool air under itself and into the fins for warming.