When planning your house arrangement, there are a few things you’d need to consider. The most obvious ones include the size of the house or furniture. But have you ever considered how your furniture would fit in with your heating system?
If you have, then you must have wondered, how far should furniture be from baseboard heaters? That’s a question that might trouble many people. However, if you read what we have here, you’ll have the perfect solution to it.
Baseboard Heater Furniture Clearance
Baseboard heaters are some of the most energy-efficient heaters, which is why they are quite popular in most homes. Baseboard heaters work with convection currents which that need free rein to heat a house adequately.
That, however, doesn’t mean you can place something next to them. The closest furniture can get close to a baseboard heater is one foot. Past that, there will be a fire hazard, as the heater might cause a fire with the furniture.
Besides the fire hazard reasoning, placing the heater next to furniture might affect the flow of heat. The heater will struggle to heat all the parts of the house well. That’s why you need to place the furniture at least six inches away from the baseboard heater.
Depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations., you will most likely have your baseboard heater on the floor. The installation height, on the other hand, will depend on your house’s height. The ideal height should be as low as possible. That’s because baseboard heaters work by heating the air above them.
There needs to be a distance of over twelve inches or more and any other material that can burn easily. On the side of the heater, you can have furniture or other material six inches away from the two sides of the baseboard heater.
Baseboard Heaters and House Floors
If baseboard heaters can be a fire hazard for furniture, it begs what they might do to the floor. That’s because the heaters will usually be intimately close to the floor. While the function of the heater won’t suffer from being on the floor, there are concerns that the floor might sustain some form of damage.
That, however, shouldn’t worry you because baseboard heater makers foresaw that problem. The heaters come with a guard at the bottom that prevents them from touching the floor. You, therefore, need not worry about it harming your floor.
Well, that is, unless you are the type of person to love thick carpets. A thick carpet will block the air intake part of the baseboard heater besides touching the other parts. Therefore, the best way is to ensure the thick carpet isn’t close to the baseboard.
Some heaters will explicitly mention that they need adequate distance from the floor. You can always know that by reading the manual when installing the baseboard heater.
A Guide on How to Arrange Furniture Around Baseboard Heaters
It would be best to consider where you place the baseboard heater not only for safety but also for it to function nicely. That’s why you would be better off if you implemented the below recommendations.
- Pick the Ideal Place to Install Them
Where you place the heater will affect its performance. The heater shouldn’t be next to power outlets since that could be a shock hazard. The heat from the baseboard heaters might melt the wires and cause fires or electric shocks.
It is common practice to install baseboard heaters near the windows. That will mean you having to ditch the old-school drapes. The old school drapes are the classic hanging on-the-floor types of curtains. If you have such drapes or curtains, they will hinder the functioning of the baseboard heaters.
What then should a person use if they can’t use the traditional curtains? You can use either blinds or short curtains to reduce the risk of the curtains catching fire.
- Have the Furniture Closer to Center of the Room
This is important to protect yourself against fire hazards and increase the effectiveness of the heater. The baseboard heater needs the air to flow freely for it to heat a house properly. That’s why it’s a good idea to have the furniture closer to the center than to the sides where the heater is.
Sofas and other large future sets might block the heat spread across the room and the house. That’s why you need them to be far from the baseboard heater. Of course, that will depend on the size of your home.
What of chairs? You can have chairs next to the windows as long as they aren’t directly contacting the heater. They have to be at a safe distance to limit damage from the baseboard heater.
- Paint the Baseboard Heater to the Color of the Furniture
The baseboard heater can be a distracting piece on the wall. Therefore, to reduce this, you could paint it with oil-based paint. Pick a color that resembles your furniture or wall to ensure it blends in with your interior décor.
You might ask, why oil-based paint? Well, it’s because oil-based paints are resistant to the heat from the baseboard heater.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – Will placing furniture next to a baseboard heater affect its effectiveness?
A – Yes, having furniture too close to the baseboard will affect heat distribution in your house. The heat needs adequate space for it to circulate through your home easily. Besides that, having furniture too close to the heater might be a fire hazard in itself.
Q – Can I place my bookshelf in front of the baseboard heater?
A – That shouldn’t be a problem. However, no part of the shelf should be directly in front of the heater’s fins. The heat could damage the shelf.
Final Thoughts
So, how far should furniture be from baseboard heaters? We trust you now have your answer: no less than twelve inches. However, there isn’t any problem if you decide you want the furniture further away from the heater. The further away, the better because now air will circulate freely and enable the heater to work efficiently.
Relevant Resources:
- How To Remove Old Honeywell Thermostat from Wall – 6 Easy Steps
- White Rodgers Thermostat Blinking Snowflake – How to Fix It?
- Thermostat Reads Higher Than Actual Temperature – Causes & Solution
- Best 5 Space Heater That Won’t Trip Breaker – Reviews & Buying Guides
- Why Is My Apartment So Hot – Top Reasons and How to Cool It
