If you crank up your thermostat, youll be burning more money in the process. Remove all the dust and debris from in and around the unit, especially the heating element and fins. GE Oven Not Heating Evenly? Examine the label and confirm the total amperage load of the circuit breaker. If it is, you need to. Under normal operating conditions, a thermal-limit switch remains in the closed position. A dedicated circuit powers one device. To fix that, shut the heater off, wait for it to cool down, and clean it extensively. Tips for relocating an electric outlet or light switch from one wall to another with minimal damage to your drywall. Life expectancy varies according to a number of variables, including quality, typical external temperatures, and thermostat adjustments. what could it be? Power Outage in One Room When Breaker Isnt Tripped! Fuse problems are also among the common causes of issues for baseboard heaters. Electric baseboard heaters dont heat the room faster than other types of heating equipment. Carefully read the wiring diagram and ensure you identify the wire leads marked "Line" and "Load" before beginning. Inspect the thermostat circuit breaker if the heater does not work properly. Is your electric water heater broken? submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". Copyright Best Budget-Friendly Baseboard Heater. Question: I have a line voltage thermostat that doesnt turn on, but I have the correct voltage at thermostat and baseboard heater. Clean the baseboard heater thoroughly. Another common question posed by consumers is What temp should a baseboard heater be? a baseboard heater can be very dangerous if you arent careful. home improvement and repair website. When your thermostat has recently stopped working, check the wires to see if they are broken. If a line-voltage thermostat is broken, you need to consult a certified technician. Homes without a centralized heating system often have electric baseboard heaters spread throughout the house. All baseboard heaters rely on convection heating, using the air that naturally circulates around the fins and coils or tubes. Turn the thermostat to its highest temperature setting. Furthermore, old thermostats with frayed wiring or corroded connections may not work flawlessly. A baseboard heater warms the air passing it over a number of metal fins. Knowing the problems can help you solve different baseboard issues. I checked the voltage at supply wires using a digital multi meter and it shows 246 Volts.so I think supply is ok. how do I check the heater itself if something is wrong .and how do I fix it? This is the ideal solution for a broken thermostat. Doing electrical work yourself may cause injury or death. Only after the baseboard heater's temperature rises above the limit switch's tolerance does its internal switch open; the meter would not show continuity. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. It is normal for electric baseboard heaters to deliver a burning smell or chemical odor and this is because the lubricant inside the valve burns as it heats. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. You say the system is bled. It is essentially a heating element inside a tube that gets hot when electricity is applied. This coin vent is utilized to release air that has built up in the baseboard. Check the thermostat, which will change from wide open to direct short if it is burned. He loves to share his knowledge & helps others in fixing their units & saving their pockets. What is the problem? The breaker rating should not be less than the current draw of the heater. Because of this, it will also cool down the area around the baseboard. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Question: I have an electric baseboard heater that sometimes heats up as it should when the thermostat kicks in, but sometimes it doesn't. Once finished, replace the cover and flip the power back on. Hot water baseboard heaters are generally much safer than electric ones, as they operate at lower temperatures. Besides the fact that low-hanging draperies can rob the room of heat by capturing warm air behind them, they are hazardous because they can overheat and catch on fire. Remove the thermostat. I am not handy, so I have no idea what to do. Open up the baseboard heater's electrical compartments and inspect each part and its wire connections. When your heater won't turn on, the first thing to do is turn up the thermostat. All rights reserved. If the temperature is high enough, theres a short in the wires. Additionally, a terrible smell is produced whenever this dirt and debris burn. ONe baseboard heater is working and the other is not.. OK, it's about 28 years old, and having no patience at all, I got a replacement baseboard unit, 240 for 240, and carefully installed it. If the system uses a single-throw breaker, place one probe on the wire terminal and the other probe on the service panel's ground bus. Additionally, a hydronic baseboard heater may have boiler problems, such as excessive trapped air or mineral deposits. Check for Power Inside the Heater After first testing the voltage detector on a known live wire, test the inside of the wall heater to make sure that no power is present. 16K views 1 year ago Do not work on electrical if you are not comfortable or knowledgeable with electricity. Question: I have 220 volt baseboards and only have 120 volts at the thermostat. If not, it may be blocked. Heres Why (+ How to Fix). hot water baseboard heater won't shut offwhy is justin chambers leaving fox 17 news April 9, 2023 . When a circuit breaker trips instantly, part of the electric circuit contains a short. A thermostat merely makes or breaks the connection to the heater until the room temperature reaches the setpoint. Answer: Assuming you wired the thermostat according to the manufacturer's instructions, it appears you have a faulty thermostat. The valves inside the heater can be blocked if there is not enough lubrication to keep the valves apart. Electric baseboard heaters are safe to use because they dont produce carbon monoxide or fall over like portable heaters. Replacing wire in electric baseboard heater? If your electric baseboard heater is not getting hot enough to warm the room adequately, there are a number of possibilities to investigate: The heat flow may simply be physically blocked, which is easy to take care of. An electric current is used to warm these fins. If your electric baseboard heater is malfunctioning, the thermostat is often the culprit, and when that isn't true, it's usually some other electrical or cleaning problem. Verify whether there is a consistent supply of electricity. The probable causes also depend on the type of baseboard heater you have, i.e., electric or hydronic. Part of the series: Heating Systems. My house is heated with electric baseboard heaters. This causes the heater to get 120 volt instead of the 240 volt it is supposed to get to operate correctly. Lastly, make sure that your thermostat is level and firmly attached to the wall. Your baseboard heat not working in one room because of the tripped circuit breaker, insufficient electric supply, blocked vent, a faulty thermostat, and dust vent. This allows the electricity to pass on to the high-limit switch, mounted inside the baseboard heater's electrical connection compartment. The higher voltage heater will draw less current and have a smaller impact on your electric bill. In homes where it might be difficult to install new ductwork or the cost is too high, baseboard heat can be a more economical alternative. Too much grit or dust accumulation in the vent can reduce the overall functionality of your baseboard heaters. Thanks a lot for such helpful sharing. Always begin your inspection with the simpler elements when a baseboard heater isnt getting warm. Grab a bowl to collect this water, Once the water stops shooting out, turn off the bleeder valve with your thumb, Then, put the cover of your Baseboard back on, Look for a tripped breaker in the thermostat, Look for faulty wiring in the circuit breaker panel, In the end, start the heater and see if its functioning at all, Touch every multimeter lead to one of the two-wire connections, Wait for the multimeter to give you the reading of the voltage used by your heater, If your Baseboard heater is 120V, you will get a reading of 110-120 volts, If your Baseboard heater is 240V, you will get a reading of 220-250 volts. This could be caused by various reasons. This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. Measured 120v at the heater never fully turns off. DoItYourself.com, founded in 1995, is the leading independent Maintain contact while turning the thermostat to its lowest temperature setting. Answer: You should contact the contractor that installed the heater, then ask about the warranty and perhaps a service call. So, consider consulting a technician to weigh your options. The vents can be blocked for many reasons. In fact, a purely electric heater is 100 percent efficient. The first step in troubleshooting baseboard heaters is to make sure the breaker is on. Even if you try to switch the heater off, such a malfunction keeps it running continuously. Baseboard heaters are good devices. The heating element may be defective or the thermostat might be stuck, or it may simply be the case that the device is not getting hot enough. Check the rooms wall outlet if the circuit breaker is below that. To ensure that your baseboard heater remains stable, perform this inspection at least once a year. Another way to test the electrical baseboard heater thermostat is by taking off the wall and checking the circuit breaker. This type of issue usually leaves some sort of visual evidence, such as a burnt wire terminal. Turn the thermostat to its hottest position. As a result, the baseboard heater might not heat your rooms air to the desired level. It works fine for a while; then it stops working again. Hence, you may not be able to raise the thermostats heat setting to an unusually high temperature. Turning the switch/dial to OFF no longer works, so the small room is always sweltering and wasting energy (and money). There was previously a wood boiler for heat and the lines are still there as another option for heating. If the breaker doesn't trip, the heater is overloading the circuit, and you need to either remove other loads from the circuit or install a new circuit for the heater. By faulty thermostat, we are basically talking about blocked contact in the thermostat. In this instance, you may need to consult a technician if you cant detect why your baseboard heater isnt getting warm. This is how I was able to troubleshoot an electrical baseboard heated that. Once youve performed this step, you can rest assured that your baseboard heater will be running properly. Not long after I saw a significant spark from power supply end of heater. Wood vs Electric Fireplace: Which is More Efficient? Unlike central air system thermostats that operate at low voltage, baseboard heater thermostats operate at line voltage either 120 or 240 volts so they pose a danger of severe electrical shock and should only be serviced by someone with experience. Another effective solution to this problem is to replace the fuse. Following these simple steps will make your Baseboard heater good to go again. On this site, you'll find information about how temperature works, how to stay warm or cool in all types of situations, and guides on choosing (and fixing) the best temperature-related appliances. In this instance, the hot water or oil wont circulate properly through the zones tube. Sometimes, you can fix a faulty thermostat by just tapping it to loosen a stuck spring, but the problem can also be dirt on the contacts. It could be anything from a tripped circuit breaker to a short in the heater coil. Use the circuit breaker in the breaker box to turn off the electric connection, Examine the baseboard heaters electrical elements and the wire connection, Follow the wiring from the electrical panel. Otherwise you end up changing parts needlessly. Always try to apply lubricant on the valves that are present inside the baseboard heater. The site earns commission for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies like Clickbank, Commission Junction and Share A Share ETC linked to on this site. Fix or replace the failed component. When cleaning an electric baseboard heater, avoid disturbing the metal heat distribution fins. If the system has the proper voltage and continuity, it will turn on. A variety of causes can be behind the obstructed vents. In addition, when this dirt and debris burns, they produce a bad odor. How do I test my electric baseboard heater. Call a professional if needed. Question: Why do I have to turn my heater dial 3/4 to the highest temp just to turn on? My problem is, why won't the baseboard heater get hot with the thermostat? And, as a last resort, you can always call a professional electrician to fix it. A home's electric-service panel contains the baseboard heater's circuit breaker. It means that 100 percent of the electricity it uses is used to produce heat. Is there a tiny silver fitting in the center with a square head or a screw slot? Faulty wiring of the circuit breaker can result in short circuits in the system. And coils or tubes when your heater wo n't the baseboard heater 's electrical connection compartment heaters dont heat room! Cool down the area around the fins and coils or tubes the baseboard... 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