Electric Heat Repair FAQs

Q&A on diagnosing & fixing electric baseboard heaters
Electric baseboard heat wiring & safety
Electric furnace troubleshooting
Electric heat air handler / blower Q&A
Electric heater noises
Electric Water Heaters Used for Building Heat

Electric Heat Wiring & Safety FAQs

My electric baseboard radiator sparked then smoked!

My radiator sparked and then smoked on one end. I am going to replace it, but wanted to know what caused this.

I don't think it is dust. (Nov 21, 2014) by Sparking Radiators

Reply: turn off unsafe electric heater to avoid a building fire.

Sparky

Watch out: If you truly saw a spark at a radiator and it was not caused by static electricity, say from walking across a carpet, you need to call a licensed electrician.

Improper electrical wiring or grounding in your building could be at fault and could be quite dangerous. The risk is an electrical fire that sets your building on fire.

At your electrical panel turn OFF the electric heat circuit and call an electrician for repair.

See ELECTRIC BASEBOARD HEAT SAFETY

Electric Heat Not Working FAQs

No heat coming out of our electric heaters

Thermostat is calling for emergency Heat but no heat coming from heaters no amp draw on heaters either something not telling the heaters to come on. On 2017-10-18 by Anonymous

Reply by (mod) -

Anon:

I'm unclear what kind of electric heat you have: electric baseboards (typically have individual thermostatic controls or on thermostat for several baseboards), or backup heat for a heat pump system.

If you're asking about the latter I suspect a bad control relay or control board - something for your service tech to check.

To find a free PDF download of the instruction manual for your electric heaters,

see MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC

And for more-detailed manuals on heater controls,

see MANUALS for HEATING & A/C SYSTEM CONTROLS

How to diagnose one of our electric baseboard heaters that stopped working

I have several gravity type electric baseboard heaters. one stopped heating. i checked meter box and breaker seems ok.

we discommected thermostat and hot wired the wiring and heater still did not work so thermostat seems ok.

what else could be wrong and what else can I do w can I do? On 2017-03-25 by earl

- by (mod) -

For the one heater that stopped working I suspect a broken heater element or an open electrical connection. Check resistance across the heating coil. Or continuity.

If there is infinite resistance or zero resistance the heating element itself has failed and you'll need to replace the unit.

Our electric baseboard heat in our townhouse comes on even though we turned it off

We just moved into a townhouse with electrical baseboard heaters and one in our bathroom was replaced by an electrician (the heaters are 50+ years old) the one in my bedroom comes on when turned off it has a mind of its own.

They replaced the thermostat but it has continued to do this the electrician said something to the contracter about a valve malfunction or something he completely confused the contractor.

What else could be causing this so I can be prepared when he comes in so I don't have to have him back a third time if whatever he does this time doesn't work (Feb 16, 2016) kathryn

Reply:

Kathryn the situation you described is unsafe, risking fire or shock. Electric baseboard heat does not use "valves" so I have no idea what that's about.

Electric heat is very simple: typically a resistance-type electric baseboard, running on 240V is powered through a line-voltage thermostat that basically acts as an on-off switch in response to the thermostat setting and room temperature.

Watch out: if your electric heat thermostat wiring or heater wiring is damaged, loose, or not working properly there could be an electrical shock or fire hazard. So turn off the heater and call for help from your electrician.

I'd expect the electrician to confirm that the heater itself is undamaged and to track down a bad wire, connection, or thermostat.

See ELECTRIC BASEBOARD HEAT INSTALL to read details.

Electric Baseboard Heat Won't Turn Off

Tell me how to turn off electric baseboard heat

How do I turn ofy base board heaters it 90 outside and 100 in my house On 2016-06-26 by Hott:

Reply: turn the thermostat all the way down or turn off the circuit breaker

Hott

Your comment is on a page about electric baseboard heat.

If your electric baseboards won't turn off then one or more thermostats is not working properly, assuming you've already turned it to OFF.

Watch out: for safety, in that case turn off electrical power to the baseboards at the main electcrical panel - typically by flipping the appropriate (usually 240V double pole) breaker to OFF.

Then call for repair by a licensed electrician.

If you have hot water heat search

see HEAT WON'T TURN OFF to read more details of cause and cure.

Electric Furnace Repair FAQs

Electric furnace will not heat above 64 degrees.

My electric furnace will not heat above 64 degrees. Any ideas? On 2018-01-01 by marilynsayrehogsett

Reply by (mod) -

I would be sure that you don't have a dirty air filter in your furnace, and then

I would feel to see that you have air being delivered at each supply registers, and that thete is warm air being delivered at each Supply register.

If some registers are not delivering air then you need to look for disconnected or blocked air ducts

If you have warm air delivered at each Supply register then it's time to start looking for drafts or significant areas of heat loss in your building.

To find a free PDF download of the instruction manual for your electric heaters,

see MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC

Electric heat won't reach the thermostat set temperature when it's very cold outside

I have electrical heat. The temperature outside is below 0 degrees. I set my temperature inside my house is 67 degrees but it only reach 66 degrees and the heater does not stop blowing. Is that normal? On 2018-01-01 by Agnes

Reply by (mod) -

Agnes,

During cold weather the condition that you described might be normal for a heating system that is a bit marginal.

I would check the following things

First check that all of your heaters are working

Then check to be sure that any storm windows provided on your building are in the down or closed position

Then feel with your hands for drafts around windows and doors. Improving Window and Door weatherstripping can stop a draft.

Air leaks are the first thing to attend when trying to make a building warmer.

Electric Heat Noise FAQs

Explain why we have noisy electric heat

I have an electric broiler system heated with water in copper piping. There are base board heaters in each room.

There are separate thermostats for upstairs and down. Ever since the temperature has dropped and the heat comes on, there is a loud fast ticking noise in the ceiling on the first level, in two places.

This happens every 10- 15 min when the cycle starts. At the end of the cycle there is a very loud bang that seems to be the cycle shutting off, in the same place where the ticking noise started. This has been keeping me awake all night for weeks.

I had a HVAC service man come over, he cleaned the "burners, spark pilot assembly, and checked anti-freeze, expansion tank,auto vent and pump". However told me this loud obnoxious noise was "normal" and the only way to fix it would be to cut holes in the wall and re-insulate the piping.

Please help! I really think there is something wrong.

Also, I forgot to mention that I turned off both thermostats and the ticking/clicking noise still happens, though it is much slower. This was not happening in the summer months. There was no noise this summer (Nov 2, 2014) Audrey Johnson

Reply:

Audrey,

If the noise is caused by movement of heating piping due to thermal expansion I agree in part with your heating tech except the usual fix is to improve clearance around piping where it passes through framing etc, and where needed to change out pipe support mounts to silent nylon lined ons, not simply to add insulation.

If the noise complaint is a new one ask

What has changed?

I hear a snapping sound from circuit breaker when heat turns off

1970 atr-20 wesco electric furnace 20kw! It's a great high quality made unit, but it sure will run you broke at the cost of electricity now adays.

These were made for 1970's and 1990's electric rates and not for todays gouging electric rates. Ouch! (nov 19, 2014) sharky said:

We have an electric forced air heater in a two bedroom 1100sq ft condominium.

Upon turning heat on it runs and blows out hot air and them when cycle is almost over the circuit breaker snap or pops. After reset of circuit breaker the heat goes on again and then the same thing happens. What to do. (Nov 21, 2014) mark

Reply: watch out for unsafe circuit and breaker tripping

Mark

Watch out: Most likely the electrical circuit is overloaded and popping the breaker.

It's time for help from a licensed electrician. The situation is unsafe and risks a fire.

Leave those heaters OFF.

More information is at ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NOISES

Diagnose and fix clicking noise from floor heaters

We have a baseboard and two in floor heaters on one thermostat.

Lately when the rooms get up to temperature there is a clicking noise coming from the floor (ducts are down there) and the heaters cycle on and off every 20 seconds or so.

I did replace the thermostat recently but it kind of sounds like there may be a fan or something in the duct.

I'll be going into the crawl space tomorrow to check that out. Does this sound weird?

I thought that usually it was just wiring going to the thermostat on the way to the heaters. Would there likely be another fan/switch/relay or something in between? Thanks (Nov 26, 2014) Angellos Glaros

Reply:

Angellos

Heaters that cycle on and off every twenty seconds are not operating normally and suggest that a control is failing and that repair is needed.

Watch out: I would ask for help from a licensed electrician - it sounds as if there is a bad thermostat or relay, but I'm concerned about the risk of an electrical fire.

Once that is ruled out

see TEMPERATURE CHANGE RELATED NOISES for an explanation of snaps, pops, crackles and clicks traced to movement of materials as they heat or cool when your heater comes on or turns off.

Diagnose popping sounds from electric baseboard heat

My electric baseboard is making a really loud popping sound every few minutes.

It's the middle of Summer, so the heat obviously isn't turned on. I have no idea what this means. Maybe there's a release valve somewhere to let air out. No sleep tonight. (July 1, 2014) Jason Wyman

Reply:

If you feel the electric baseboard and it is cool - or room temperature and is definitely OFF then the popping sound is from another source, possibly temperature changes in other building components or even metal casing of the baseboard.

Electric Heat Air Handler Blower FAQs

Why do our electric heater elements stay on when the blower stops?

It seems like the heater elements stay on after the blower stops.

I can feel heat coming from the unit so I turn on the fan manually.

This happened last year, and I shut off, and restarted the heater a few times, and this seemed to have stopped the problem, but now it is happening again. do I need to replace the limit switches?

Thank's, Miles AND please don't say ASK A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN! I am not rich, and will not pay someone hundreds of dollars for something I can do myself easily with the right parts. (Dec 9, 2014) Miles J. Terwillegar

Reply:

It sounds like maybe you have a bad connection if it keeps popping the breaker. Check to make sure all of your wiring is good and solidly connected. (shut off the main breaker first to insure the power is off) If you recently replaced some parts don't assume they are good.

I have gotten bad parts straight out of the box that got past the quality control people IF they even have a testing, and quality control department.

Moderator: more diagnostic suggestions

Sounds like it could be a control board or relay failure.

But it could also be that the blower fan speed combined with incoming air temperature is dropping the temperature inside the heating plenum below the CUT IN temperature. That will turn off the fan to avoid blowing cold air on the building occupants. So that's something to check too.

I understand the wish to DIY, Miles, but keep in mind that some mistakes can cause a fire or electrocution. Part of being smart is to figure out when we need someone on-site who has more experience and training.

At VOLTS / AMPS MEASUREMENT EQUIP the article in ARTICLE INDEX you'll also see some advice about using test instruments and instrument safety. Stay safe.

Mobile home electric furnace blower motor won't stop running?

21 March 2015 kim said:
why wont my mobile home electric furnace biower motor stop running?

Reply:

Kim we offer some diagnostic suggestions at

FAN WONT STOP - LIMIT SWITCH

Manuals for Electric Heaters

Where can I get a manual for ICP model EF12F1900A3

Where can I get a manual for ICP model EF12F1900A3 On 2017-12-07 by Scott

Reply by (mod) -

Scott, see the free ICP manual downloads and company contact information found at

KEEPRITE ICP MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC 

Other readers needing to find the manual for their heating equipment should see

MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC - home - Master Index to All Brand Names & HVAC manuals, wiring diagrams, installation and repair guides

Electric Baseboard Heat Too Hot?

Electric baseboard heater is too hot?

The wall area above our 3 year old electric baseboard heater is very hot to the touch. The thermostat is a wall mounted style and is likely 25+ years old.
This seems like an air circulation problem to me?

The unit is installed resting on the floor, however the intake area is at least 1/2 inch off the floor.
Thanks - On 2017-12-30 by Daryl

Reply by (mod) -

Let us see the situation in photos. Use the picture frame icon next to the Comment button.

From your text alone I can't say whether your electric baseboard heater is working normally or is unsafe.

But if you are indoubt, safest would be to turn it off until you can have a licensed electrician check the electric baseboard itself as well as its control, thermostat, and wiring.

Electric Water Heaters for Building Heating

Explain the heat in a condo that just uses electric water heaters

I am interested in purchasing a townhouse condominium in the Sierras and it currently has two 50 gallon electric hot water heaters linked to a forced central air system with the hot water could providing the only heat to the system and simultaneosly providing hot water to the home.

Could you please point me to some articles that cover this type of system? - Thanks On 2018-05-29 by Tim

Reply by (mod) -

Sure, Tim.

A water heater is sometimes hooked directly to heating baseboards or radiators, usually for a small heating load application.

Your system is a hydro-coil or hot-water-to-air heating system. The water heater(s) pipe hot water through a heat exchanging coil (finned copper tubing) that is inside of the air handler (s). House air blows across the coil to absorb heat to deliver warm air to the occupied space.

The presence of two 50 g. water heaters, assuming they're both dedicated to this purpose, could mean there are two separate air handlers, or two hydro coils in the duct system, OR if there's just one, then the installer figured that one water heater wouldn't have enough capacity.

The advantage of a 2-heater system of this type, IF the controls are set up to do this, is that you can run it as a "cascaded" boiler system. When the demand for heat is modest, just one of those water heaters runs. In very cold weather they both run to provide more heat. I'm just speculating since I have no details about your system.

You're adding complexity (two heaters instead of one), buying a heater that probably costs less than a conventional heating boiler, and maybe gaining some efficiency, and maybe paying in shorter life of the heaters than would be the life of a hydronic (hot water) heating boiler designed for that purpose.

I would want to know the brand and model of the water heaters, and I'd then check the manufacturer's specifications for those heaters to be sure that using them for a hydro coil or fan coil heating application is approved and that such use won't void the warranty on the water heaters.

I'd also like to see photos of the system and its controls, and of the water heaters and their data tags.

Watch out: if the condo is well-insulated and not to large the heating system may be just fine.

For a larger building in a very cold climate I'd be cautious in what I assume about the system you describe.

Electric water heaters are the least expensive to buy and install, but are the slowest in water re-heating capacity.

I'd also like ot know the age of the condo.

In Colorado, for example, in 2001 the state enjoyed particularly low electric rates, making an electric water heater attractive.

Since that time, electricity rates have increased over 60%.

See WATER HEATERS for HOME HEATING USE?

You'll see that we issue some warnings about the duty cycle and life of the water heater when used for home heating purposes. But a number of water heater manufacturers have water heater models that they describe as usable in that way.

Hydro-coils or Hydro-Air or water-to-air heating systems are described at FAN CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS

Rheem and some other companies make heaters specifically designed to work with integrated heating and water heater systems, including a Rheem tankless water heater (that's more efficient than the tank type that you have). https://www.rheem.com/products/integrated_systems/

The advantage of Rheem's approach is that during a call for heat in cold weather you'll also still be sure to have hot water for washing and bathing. A clip from the company's catalog (again this is NOT your system though it might be a replacement for it when your water heaters die).