How can I tell if a house will handle baseboard heat with 100 amp service,

Do a load calculation per Art. 220.

how many amps is a typical baseboard

Depends on the watts and voltage. Usually a function of length.

and is it possible to put 2 on 1 breaker

Yes.

 

my guess

6' baseboard heat 220V is 1500 watts , a 20amp breaker can carry 2? I am having conflicting reports on whether this house panel box will allow for baseboard, had electrician say yes and hvac say no(they also want to put in central heat)

 

6' baseboard heat 220V is 1500 watts , a 20amp breaker can carry 2? I am having conflicting reports on whether this house panel box will allow for baseboard, had electrician say yes and hvac say no(they also want to put in central heat)

Well, duh, of course they want to put in central heat, they are HVAC workers after all. :blink: You should be asking your HVAC crew about central air, and your electrician about electric baseboard heat. :thumbsup: Also, ask a plumber about a new hydronic heat system because that's the most efficient heating system.

 

Like 480 said you will need to do a load calc for what the panel already has, and you will need to determine the size heaters you need and the draw of them. Most thermostats are rated for 20amps so the sizes of the heaters will determine how many you can put on a circuit. What other elec appliances are in the home and drawing off the panel? Do they have an electric range, electric hot water tank, deep well pump, electric clothes dryer?

 

art 220

where do I find the load calculation formula

 

where do I find the load calculation formula

Start at 220.40.

 

How can I tell if a house will handle baseboard heat with 100 amp service, how many amps is a typical baseboard and is it possible to put 2 on 1 breaker

MDF or finger jointed pine?

 

First off---turn everything on in house that the tenants normally use on an average day and check the amperage the house is drawing, by checking the main feed at panel using an amp meter... Wont matter how much the baseboard draws if the service needs to be a 200amp...

Central heat---again same thing---find out what you have drawing in the house before doing anything else... Good luck!

 

I realize this is an old question, but I thought my answer may help future Googlers... A quick and dirty rule of thumb is that a 100A service can typically handle up to 10 KW of electric heat (that's about the max). A foot of baseboard heater burns about 250 W of power. So... a 100A service can handle a max of 40 feet of baseboard heaters. Of course, you need to do the proper calcs, as per other responders, but this will give you a quick rough idea of whether its doable or not. As a home inspector with over 21 years of full-time experience, it's rare to see an electrically heated home on a 100 amp service. However, it's not unheard of, I have seen a few over the years. That said, these would be relatively small homes, maybe 1,000 square feet or so.