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how are baseboard heaters calculated

by Paul Reichert Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The calculation runs like this:

  1. 144 square feet multiplied by 9 watts equals 1296 watts.
  2. Adding 10 percent for a window equals 1425.6 watts.
  3. Adding 20 percent for two exterior walls equals 1710.72 watts.
  4. Dividing by 250 (the normal wattage per linear foot) equals 6.84 feet of baseboard heater required.
  5. Rounding up, this means that a 7-foot heater is needed (or 84 inches). ...

A very simple method to determine how much electric baseboard heating wattage you need can be found by calculating the square footage of the room, then multiplying it by 10 watts to produce a baseline wattage requirement. For example, if you are heating a 12-foot x 12-foot bedroom, the space includes 144 square feet.Jun 21, 2022

Full Answer

What are the pros of using a baseboard heater?

Cut back on winter heating costs by using your system efficiently

  1. Baseboard heaters are often located under windows because it's more efficient that way. ...
  2. Heat rises – and so do your energy costs, for every degree above 20°C. ...
  3. Cranking the thermostat doesn't warm up the room any faster. ...
  4. Now that they're more widely available, you can get a smart thermostat that works with baseboard heaters. ...

More items...

Are baseboard heaters an efficient form of heating?

Hydronic baseboard heating systems are more efficient than other forms of electric resistance heating, such as traditional baseboard convection heaters. As the element heats up, the water becomes steam. As cool air is drawn into the heating unit, the steam heats it uniformly and projects it into the room.

Do baseboard heaters offer enough heating capacity?

To properly heat a room, an electric baseboard heating system must supply enough power. Most rooms require 10 watts per square foot, so a 1,000-watt heater can heat a 100-square-foot room but won't provide enough heat for a room with an area of 150 square feet. You may need a more powerful heater.

How many kilowatts does a baseboard heater use?

How much does it cost to operate an average baseboard or portable space heater? Power (kilowatts) : 1.5 kilowatts (1500 Watts from label ) Time (hours): 1 hour . Rate (¢ per kWh): 10.25¢ per kWh . Cost of operation for 1 hour is 15¢ (1.5 kW x 1 hours x $0.1005 per kWh) How many hours per month do you use your portable space heater?

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How many baseboard heaters do I need calculator?

Total Wattage of Baseboard Heaters = Room Size (square feet) X 10 watts per square footAdd 25% more wattage for every 2 feet of additional ceiling height (i.e., 25% more for 10-foot ceilings and 50% more for 12-foot ceilings).Adjust the 10-watt heating requirement based on your home's actual insulation.

How many square feet will a baseboard heater heat?

Typically, a 1,500 watt/240-volt unit can heat a 150 to 175 square-foot room.

What size room will a 1000 watt heater heat?

What Size Electric Heater do I need?Room Size (Sq Ft with 8 foot ceiling)Watts (Poor Insulation)Watts (Fully Insulation)60 square feet75045080 square feet1000750100 square feet1250750120 square feet150010008 more rows

How do I calculate what size heater I need?

What Size HeaterMultiply the length times the width times the height to calculate the volume in cubic feet.Multiply the room's cubic footage by 4 if its walls contain fewer than 3 inches of insulation.More items...

How do I calculate how much baseboard I need?

For instance, to calculate the linear foot measurement to replace baseboards in your room, measure the length of one wall and the width of the other. Then multiply each measurement by two and add all four numbers together.

How big should my baseboard heater be?

Generally, an electric baseboard heater should have 10 watts of power for every square foot of space you need to heat. So a 100-square-foot room would need a 1,000-watt heater to serve as the primary heat source.

How much does it cost to run a 1500 watt heater for 24 hours?

Running a 1500-watt heater for 24 hours will cost $4.80. $11.20 to run per week (8h/day).

How much does it cost to run a 1500 watt heater for 8 hours?

On average, a 1,500W heater costs around $0.20 per hour to run on high. This adds up to a cost of $1.60 for 8 hours a day, and $48 per month. The running costs depend on your electric heater's power, running time, heat settings, and your electricity price.

Do all 1500 watt heaters put out the same amount of heat?

An electric space heater rated at 1,500 watts will use the same amount of power (1,500 watts), producing the same amount of heat regardless of what you pay for it.

What size room will 1500 watt heater heat?

150 square feetAs a rule of thumb, you will need 10 watts of heating power for every square foot of floor area in a room. This means that a 1,500-watt heater can be the primary heat source for an area measuring up to 150 square feet.

How many BTU do I need for a 12x12 room?

Obviously, the problem arises when you have a tiny 12×12 room, for example. According to the US Department of Energy directive, an air conditioner's most appropriate size would be 2,880 BTU unit.

How much space will a 7500 watt heater heat?

750-sq ft.Lightweight and easy to carry, the EG7500DGP provides 25,589 BTUs while efficiently heating areas up 750-sq ft. To ensure safety this heater was designed with overheat protection and a caution indicator light.

What size room will a 1500 watt heater heat?

150 square feetAs a rule of thumb, you will need 10 watts of heating power for every square foot of floor area in a room. This means that a 1,500-watt heater can be the primary heat source for an area measuring up to 150 square feet.

How many linear feet of baseboard do I need?

Divide the total number of inches by 12 to convert from inches to linear feet. For example, if your wall measured 40 inches in length, and you are installing molding on the top and bottom, 40 x 2 = 80 inches. Divide 80 by 12 to get 6.66 linear feet.

How many BTU do I need per foot of baseboard?

If your average water temperature is 180 degrees F, each linear foot of baseboard will put out 610 Btu/hr.

Where is the best place to put baseboard heaters?

Here's a quick rundown of the best practices: Fan heaters work best on an inside wall; baseboards are best under a window. (But you can install fan heaters on outside walls and baseboards on inside walls.) If you're installing a heater by a door, make sure the heater isn't blocked by the door when it is open.

What is baseboard heater?

By Dale Yalanovsky. A baseboard heater is a heating system that is installed along the baseboard of a wall. It radiate heats up and warms the room passively, as opposed to active heating by way of a fan. Although you may believe that wattage and BTU output are the only determining factors when selecting a baseboard heater, ...

How many watts does a baseboard heater use?

Baseboard heaters use about 250 watts of power for every foot of length. In a 100-square foot room that is part of an older home, the baseboard heater will be approximately 5 feet long. In a newer home, it will be about 3 feet long.

How many watts does it take to heat a room?

Older homes with less insulation will use about 10 watts to heat each square foot. Newer homes with greater insulation values will only use about 6 watts per square feet. It will take approximately 600 watts to heat a 100 square foot room in a newer home. Older homes will need as much as 1,000 ...

How many watts does it take to heat a 100 square foot room?

It will take approximately 600 watts to heat a 100 square foot room in a newer home. Older homes will need as much as 1,000 watts for the same room.

How to calculate square footage of a room?

Calculate the square footage of the room. Use a tape measure and measure the width and the length of the room. Multiply them together for the square footage of the room. As an example, a 10-foot by 10-foot room is 100 square feet.

How many watts does a baseboard heater produce?

In this method, it's assumed that 240-volt baseboard heaters typically produce about 250 wat ts per linear foot of length. This calculation is designed to tell you how long your baseboard heater should be.

Where are baseboard heaters mounted?

Baseboard heaters are mounted at the bottom of walls and are powered by electrical circuits via wiring that is usually routed through wall cavities to the main service panel. The wiring may route through a wall-mounted thermostat, or the thermostats may be built into the heaters themselves. While portable baseboard heaters are available ...

How many watts does a 144 square foot room need?

For the sake of our example, let's assume that the room has normal specifications. With 144 square feet, the required wattage is 1440 watts, which means you could heat the room with a single 1500 watt baseboard heater, or two 750-watt heaters.

How many watts does 20% of a wall use?

Adding 20% for two exterior walls equals 1710.72 watts

Can you add electric baseboard heating to an attic?

Installing electric baseboard heating is often the easiest and most effective way to add heating to a room addition or when you are converting an unheated space, such as an attic or basement. Ideally, it's always best to extend existing ductwork from your central furnace/air conditioning system, but sometimes it's just not possible to route additional ductwork. At this time, installing electric baseboard heaters is by far the easiest solution.

Is it better to oversize baseboard heaters?

It is always best to slightly oversize when selecting baseboard heaters. There is no loss of efficiency by heating with baseboard heaters that are slightly larger than minimum requirements.

Step 1

Find the power rating in watts of each baseboard heater and determine if the heater operates on 240 or 120 volts. Each heater should have a metal tag or plate that specifies its electrical characteristics. You may have to look behind an access panel to find it.

Step 2

Divide the power rating in watts for each baseboard heater by the voltage specified on the unit's tag. For example, for a 2,500-watt baseboard heater supplied by 240 volts, divide 2,500 by 240 to get 10.42 amps. The load of this individual heater is 10.4 amps.

Step 3

Add up the loads of all the baseboard heaters on the same circuit breaker to find the total load of the baseboard heaters. Three, 2,500-watt baseboard heaters on the same circuit total 10.4 x 3 = 31.2 amps.

How to determine wattage of baseboard heater?

Examine the back and base of the baseboard heater and locate the manufacturer's data plate. Alternatively, read the printed data sheet accompanying the heater. Locate and record the maximum wattage rating. This is expressed as a number followed by the letters "kW," the abbreviation for kilowatts, or thousands of watts. For example, a heater designed to output a maximum of 2,000 watts will be rated as a 2kW heater.

How to determine current drawn by a heater?

Divide the wattage by the voltage to determine the current drawn by the heater. This works because watts divided by voltage equals current. For example, if the wattage is 2,000 watts and the household voltage is a nominal 120 volts, divide 2,000 by 120 to determine the current.

Can underestimating the load applied by a heater cause electrical problems?

Always double check your calculations. Underestimating the load applied by a heater could result in electrical problems ranging from fuses blowing through to house fires.

Is load measured in kilowatt hours?

Warnings. Load is measured in amps, not kilowatt hours as some websites suggest. If you are calculating the load for another person, make sure that person understands you are calculating the current in amps and not determining the power consumption over time, which is expressed in kilowatt hours. Writer Bio.

What to do if you are unsure of baseboard heating?

The contractor can check the main electrical panel in the home to ensure it can provide the electrical power required for the heaters calculated.

How many watts per square foot of heat?

As a general rule, the watts per square foot will vary by how efficient the home or room is for retaining heat. A well-insulated room will require 10 watts per square foot of room. A less insulated space will need 12 watts and an older home with no insulation may need up to 15 watts of electrical power per square foot. Advertisement.

How many watts does a house need to heat?

In the case of a well-insulated home, the heating wattage is 1800 watts. For a home less insulated, the wattage needed is 2160 watts. The home with no insulation will need baseboard heating that can provide up to 2700 watts of power. Advertisement.

How many amps does a 2160 watt heater use?

The answer is 11.25 amperes. Perform the same steps to find the values of the other two wattages. The 2160-watt heater will need 9 amperes and the 1800-watt unit will require 7.5 amperes.

How to find the square footage of a room?

Use the tape measure to find the inside dimensions of a typical room. In this instance the width of the room is 12x15 feet. Multiply the two measurements together, and the total square footage of the room is equal to 180 square feet.

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Url:https://www.thehomehacksdiy.com/how-to-calculate-total-wattage-of-baseboard-heaters/

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Url:https://homeguides.sfgate.com/calculate-electric-loads-basebord-electric-heaters-28306.html

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