Install Baseboard Heater
Baseboard heaters can be installed in additions, and cold areas of your home where you either do not or cannot install central heat. To install baseboard heaters yourself you will require basic carpentry and electrical skills. If you do not have any electrical experience, then ask someone with electrical experience to help you.
Required Materials: Flat bar, circular saw, drill, Phillips-head bit, assorted drill bits, measuring tape, belt sander or router, screwdriver, wire cutters, wire strippers, hammer, nail set, baseboard heater, safety glasses, and gloves, utility knife, fish tape, needle-nose pliers, stud finder.
**WARNING: Standard electrical wiring was often used in older homes to supply 220-volt current. With this type of electrical wiring, both the black and white wires carry current.
How to remove your old radiant baseboard heater:
1. Turn OFF the power at the circuit breaker box. DO NOT attempt to remove the heaters while the current is still on.
2. Unscrew and remove all of the retaining screws.
3. Carefully, pull the heater from the wall. If the heater has been painted or sealed to the wall, you may have to use a box cutter to carefully cut away at the paint so that you do not damage your drywall.
4. Once the heaters have been pulled away from the wall, cut the wires as close to the heater as possible, and then place wire nuts on the ends of the wires coming out of the wall for added safety.
5. Next, carefully remove the your trim and baseboard from the area around the heater.
6. Depending on the type of remodeling you are planning to do, and whether or not a professional contractor will be installing your new system at this point you may or may not repair the baseboard heater cutout in the drywall.
7. Because the newer system that you will be installing will have a high-voltage, be sure to follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and precisely.
NOTE: Building Codes require that electric heaters have their own circuit. If you think that you can “cut corners” by combing an electric heater with an existing circuit, you will only be creating a headache for yourself, as this will overload the breaker every time the heat comes on. Therefore, if you do not already have designated circuits for your baseboard heaters, or if you do not have an empty space in your panel, then you will have to either add a sub-panel for them or find another way to heat your cold areas. Remember all ways think safety first!