Baseboard heaters can be a great way to warm your home during the colder winter months. But, due to their location, they can often get clogged up with debris like pet hair and dust. Let’s look at the best way to keep your baseboard heater clean.
How Do I Know When To Clean A Baseboard Heater?
Let’s start by looking at some of the signs that it might be time to clean the baseboard heater. First, you might be able to see the dirt and dust building up inside the device. You can check this by removing the cover and inspecting the interior of the heater.
However, it’s more likely that you will feel the effects of a blockage first. When the baseboard heater gets clogged with debris, the heat can’t escape properly. Now that we know what to look for, let’s go through the best technique to thoroughly clean your heater.
Additionally, you can learn more about heating devices in this article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heating_element.
Remove The Heater Cover
The first step of the cleaning process is to remove the cover of the heater. This will allow you to clean the interior of the device, where the dirt and dust will accumulate. First, you will need to make sure that the heater has been turned off. This will ensure that you don’t get burned by the heating elements. You should also make sure to wear gloves. Sometimes these heating covers can have sharp edges, and you don’t want to accidentally cut your fingers.
Next, take the bottom of the cover and try to lift it, pulling it forward. If it gets stuck, you might want to give it a few taps with a rubber mallet. Once you’ve lifted off the heater cover, take some time to investigate its condition. If you see any rust you might want to consider replacing the cover.
Vacuum And Pressure Clean
Next, you will be able to start cleaning the heater. You should start by trying to remove as much debris as possible by hand. For example, you will be able to remove any larger clumps of hair. Next, you will need to use a vacuum cleaner. This will let you get rid of the smaller debris. To make sure that you don’t damage any delicate internal mechanisms, you should use a soft attachment head. Once done, you can finish off the cleaning process by using a pressure cleaner. This will get rid of any stubborn dirt stains, keeping the fins clean. Once you finish the pressure cleaning process, leave the heater fins to dry off.
Straighten Bent Fins
Once the heater fins are dry, you can perform a more thorough inspection. It’s not uncommon to find some that have been bent out of shape. If left alone, this can impact on the functioning of the machine, reducing its efficiency. Thankfully, this is a fairly simple problem to solve. Using a pair of pliers, get a firm grip on the bent fin. Then, slowly and carefully apply pressure, straightening it out. You should repeat this process until all the fins are straight. You can also take the time to inspect the inner workings of the device. This can the perfect time to spot parts that need to be replaced and take pre-emptive action before they break. Make sure that the fins are completely dry, then replace the heater cover.
Remove Potential Problems
The inside of a baseboard heater can easily get clogged up with debris, especially if it hasn’t been cleaned in a while. There are a few things that you can do to reduce how frequently you need to clean the heater. A key part of this is the way that you design the room. If possible, try to keep things that can produce a lot of debris away from the heater. For example, you shouldn’t put a pet mat near the heater, as it can get it clogged up with hair.
Repeat At The Start Of The Season
To make sure that your baseboard heater is working properly, you’ll need to make sure to repeat this process frequently. As a general rule, you should clean it twice each year. For this reason, you should do this at the start of each winter. Then, as the weather starts to warm up, you should clean the unit again. By doing this, you’ll be able to extend the lifespan of your device, saving you money over the long-term.
Conclusion
Baseboard heaters are a great way to heat your home, as long as you clean them properly. If you are considering installing one of these devices, but aren’t sure which one to pick, we’ve put together this informative baseboard heaters article to help you out. Now you will be able to maintain your baseboard heater, keeping it in excellent condition for many years to come.
