Inlet gap on forced hot water baseboards

Hvacman

"Now, if you are talking about baseboard with nearly no gap and a plush pile lime green shag carpet stuffed into the gap, I cannot help you. You are living in the '70's."

LMAO! And make sure any carpet stays tight to the wall and ends at the bottom edge of the bb backplate.

Paul_74

Inlet gap on forced hot water baseboards


What is the minimum effective inlet air gap at the bottom of forced hot water baseboard heat? Since this type of system works by convection, air has to enter freely at the bottom of the baseboard, but what should the gap be between the floor and the finned tube? Thanks for your help.

Brad White

In-ee = Out-ee

Typically the baseboard is rated with an inlet gap equal in width to the enclosure surrounding the element to avoid a restriction.

I have seen say a 4.25 inch element commercial fin-tube which requires a 4-inch toe space, reduced to 3 inches with no ill effects. Of course, chances are there was a generous amount of radiation, it was not a design day and it was not instrumented with thermistors to read the finite differences.

Now, if you are talking about baseboard with nearly no gap and a plush pile lime green shag carpet stuffed into the gap, I cannot help you. You are living in the '70's.

Plumdog_2

Take that lime green carpet

shove it up under that baseboard, stuff in about 30 bushels of Malamute fur, and pray for Global Warming.