Wirsbo Floor Sensor Installation

Cut through any continuous paint film at the intersection of the baseboard and the finished wall beneath your Wirsbo controller, using the sharp point of a utility knife.

Slide the broad edge of a 6-inch putty knife between the top of the baseboard and the wall. Apply a hammer to the knife's handle to push it in deeper, then gently wiggle the blade from side to side to further loosen the baseboard.

Insert a pry bar between the putty knife and the baseboard.

Use the hammer to slowly wedge the pry bar deeper, which will pull the baseboard further out from the wall. Continually monitor the intersection of the baseboard with the wall to make sure you aren't damaging the paint. If some of the paint wasn't thoroughly cut during Step 1, use the utility knife again to slice through the paint film at the point where the baseboard meets the wall. Pivot the pry bar against the putty knife to pull the baseboard further away from the wall. Slide the putty knife and pry bar into an adjacent area.

Repeat Step 4 until you pull the baseboard completely free. Use the hammer to remove the old nails.

Pull the cover plate off the controller, using your fingers. Use the screwdriver to loosen the two screws specifically labeled as the sensor terminal. Using the wire cutter, snip off any unneeded length of sensor cable, leaving enough attached to accommodate the distance between the controller and the floor. Strip the insulation off the final inch of the two enclosed wires using the wire stripper. Loop each of the two wire ends from the sensor cable around the threaded portion of the screw, then tighten each screw using the screwdriver. Snap the cover plate back into place.

Position the sensor on the floor, behind the baseboard. Use the hammer and wood chisel to cut a small notch on the inside portion of the baseboard for the sensor and the wire.

Align the baseboard in its original position. Gently tap it back into place against the wall. Insert the finishing nails into the original nail holes and hammer them in until they're nearly flush with the wood. Use the counterpunch to drive each nail below the surface.

Cut a length of plastic cable duct to fit the distance between the controller and the baseboard, using the utility knife. Conceal the exposed sensor wire within the cable duct. Remove the backer tape from the cable duct's adhesive strip and press the duct firmly against the wall with your fingers, applying pressure gradually from the unit's top to its bottom. Since the sensor wire is small, you can select a very slim, low profile cable duct. Also known as cable raceways or lamp wire covers, cable ducts are available in several colors, while many varieties may also be painted.