Baseboard heaters used to be a popular way to warm up your home, but these days, there are more efficient and cost-effective options. If you’re thinking about switching to a new system, your first step is learning how to remove a baseboard heater. Let’s walk through the process of pulling out an old baseboard heater to make room for a new heating system.
Angi Tip
Don’t attempt to remove or alter your home’s wiring system. Instead, hire a licensed electrician who can use their expert skills, tools, and experience to successfully solve your wiring problem.
While the process of removing a baseboard heater is pretty simple, there are a couple of things to keep in mind before you get started. You won’t need any pricey tools or expertise, but since baseboard heaters are electric devices, you should be comfortable working with electricity. If not, consider hiring a local baseboard professional to tackle the project.
Before anything else, you need to make sure that the electricity is off—otherwise, you could get electrocuted while you’re working with your baseboard heater. To do this, head to your circuit breaker box and turn off the switch that controls your heater’s power.
Remove the Cover
With the power off, the next step is learning how to remove the baseboard heater cover. Fortunately, it’s simple and usually just involves removing some screws with a Phillips screwdriver. When you’re done, set the screws and cover aside.
Next, put on your rubber gloves and locate the wires in the heater. Unscrew the wire caps, pull the wires apart, and disconnect them from the heating unit.
Depending on your heater’s voltage, there may be three or four types of wires. With a 120-volt heater, you’ll see pairs of white, black, and ground wires; with a 240-volt heater, you’ll find white, black, red, and ground wires. Make sure to disconnect all of the wires before moving to the next step.
Test the Wires
Photo: Stanislaw Mikulski / Adobe Stock
Grab your voltage tester and check the wires, ensuring no power is running through them. You’ll do this by connecting one probe to the black wire and the other to the white or ground wire.
If the wires are dead, the meter should read zero, and the tester’s lights should stay off. But if the meter shows an electricity reading or the lights activate, you’ll need to go back to your circuit breaker and shut off the correct breaker.
Don’t touch any wires or remove the heater until you’re sure that the power is off.
Remove the System From the Wall
Inside the heater, you should find a few screws that hold the unit to the wall. Unscrew them with your Phillips screwdriver, then carefully pull the heater away from the wall, making sure not to yank on the wires. If the heater gets stuck, use a putty knife to help you remove it.
Once the heater is gone, you’ll need to tidy up or get rid of the leftover wires. Wire removal should always be handled by a licensed professional, but you can tuck them away temporarily until a pro visits your house. To do this, add wire nuts onto each wire, then put them into an electrical box with a cover.
Clean Up the Area
With the wires sealed and secured, you can start to clean up the space where your heater was. You can start by cleaning any marks off the walls and floor, but you might want to wait to repaint or fill holes until after an electrician comes to remove the wires.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Now that you know how to remove a baseboard heater, you might be debating between doing it yourself or hiring an expert. If you’re okay with doing a bit of light electrical work, this is certainly something that you could handle yourself. But if that makes you nervous, then you’re probably better off getting professional help.
You might also prefer hiring a pro if you plan on installing a new baseboard heater after you remove your current one. On average, baseboard heaters cost between $380 and $1,280,with a typical project cost of $830.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can remove baseboard heaters yourself. In fact, it’s a fairly straightforward DIY task that you can complete in less than half an hour. However, you should only tackle this project on your own if you feel confident working with electrical devices. Otherwise, reach out to a pro to have them do it for you.
You might decide to buy a house with baseboard heating, but before you do, you should weigh the pros and cons of baseboard heaters. On one hand, these heaters are quiet, easy to clean, and good for older homes. However, baseboard heaters can be more expensive to run than other types of heating systems and may pose safety risks.
Removing baseboard heating is pretty affordable, mostly because it doesn’t require any specialty supplies or expensive tools. Booking a professional to pull out an old baseboard heating unit will usually cost between $120 and $150. You can cut costs even more by doing it yourself rather than hiring a professional if you’re comfortable dealing with wires.
You can replace baseboard heaters with many other types of HVAC systems, including forced-air furnaces, hydronic heating, and heat pumps. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, so the best choice for you will depend on your budget, preferences, and the design of your house. If you aren’t sure which option is right for you, ask an HVAC pro for guidance.
You shouldn’t put a couch directly against a baseboard heater because it can create a fire hazard and block airflow. However, you can put furniture in front of a baseboard heater—as long as there’s at least 1 foot of distance in between them. You should also make sure that you don’t have any open doors within 1 foot of your heater.
Taylor is a contributing writer who has covered a range of home-related and personal finance topics. Her budgeting and home improvement tips can be found on CNET, Bankrate, and more. She enjoys helping people discover new ways to upgrade their living spaces and is most enthusiastic about sustainable living.
Taylor is a contributing writer who has covered a range of home-related and personal finance topics. Her budgeting and home improvement tips can be found on CNET, Bankrate, and more. She enjoys helping people discover new ways to upgrade their living spaces and is most enthusiastic about sustainable living.
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