[B.D.R.]

I have a customer, that we have done lots of work for in the past, call me this morning.
They had all of their baseboard heaters replaced with the new energy efficient kind, that have the vents on top.
There is a lot of discolouration on the walls above the heaters.
Do any of you put spacers behind the heaters?
Do they help prevent the disclouration.
She has a concern that they maybe too hot.
I said that I would check it out
Any opinions?

 

[Sparky401]

Unfortunately that does happen it's from all the oils and dust during manufacturing process burning off

 

[Tinstaafl]

Even after the "new" burns off, natural air convection currents will do that--though much more gradually. Surprising they never noticed anything with the old heaters.

As for spacers, I've never done that. I think it would look odd as well as being a crud trap.

 

[B.D.R.]

Thanks for the replies.
The old ones directed the air out the front, it was probably just less noticeable.
These come right out of the top.
I tried to link a picture from the web but am not tech savvy

 

[HARRY304E]

Unfortunately that does happen it's from all the oils and dust during manufacturing process burning off

Welcome to the forum..:thumbsup:

 

[B.D.R.]

Slow night?

 

[Golden view]

Not your question, but how can one baseboard heater be more efficient than another? Maybe you mean effective, or higher output.

 

[B.D.R.]

They are shorter than the ones that they replace and are supposed to be 10% more efficient than the old style

 

[woodchuck2]

Even after the "new" burns off, natural air convection currents will do that--though much more gradually. Surprising they never noticed anything with the old heaters.

As for spacers, I've never done that. I think it would look odd as well as being a crud trap.

X2, far more noticeable too if they vent right out the top. Heat may also be playing a factor here although they are designed and passed testing to do so. I am willing to bet the wall is getting hot from the heat rising up the front of it. Maybe that is how they are claiming the 10% more efficient is the extra heat from the wall itself :laughing:.

 

[B.D.R.]

They are a bit of a pain in the *ss. They are about 3 to 4 inches shoter than the old one you are replacing, so now you have a baseboard problem. They are also curved on the sides, so if you square cut the baseboards, they look like crap. And because they are shorter, the wire location won't allow for centering on the window.
Re-inventing the wheel comes to mind here.