Baseboard inside a closet?


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Old 09-08-18, 08:15 AM
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Baseboard inside a closet?

Hey Everyone!

I have a 6' exterior wall space in my bedroom with a hot water baseboard along the length and I want to enclose that space with a closet.

You can see it in the picture I attached, I want to frame out the closet about 28-30 from that rear wall, almost to the edge of the window framing.

Rather than reroute the pipe under the floor - access is very tricky - can I just take the cover off, strip the fins off, and maybe just wrap some insulation around the pipe and build a simple cover over it? Is there any danger to that? What would you recommend?

Thanks!
Rob
 
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Old 09-08-18, 09:12 AM
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Are you asking about the baseboard along the wall at the back or the one under the window?

You could leave the one along the back as is. No problem having heat on an exterior wall even if in the closet. Although it may not help heat the room because it will be enclosed in the closet, it will offset any heat loss through that wall.

Since it is hot water baseboard, you could just build the wall around the one on the window wall. For easier access later you could cut the enclosure and front panel where it passes through the new wall. For stud clearance between the pipe and the wall you could remove the fins only where necessary. Hot water piping does not have to be isolated from wood framing except to provide clearance for movement due to expansion.
 
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Old 09-08-18, 09:40 AM
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Originally Posted by 2john02458
Are you asking about the baseboard along the wall at the back or the one under the window?

You could leave the one along the back as is. No problem having heat on an exterior wall even if in the closet. Although it may not help heat the room because it will be enclosed in the closet, it will offset any heat loss through that wall.

Since it is hot water baseboard, you could just build the wall around the one on the window wall. For easier access later you could cut the enclosure and front panel where it passes through the new wall. For stud clearance between the pipe and the wall you could remove the fins only where necessary. Hot water piping does not have to be isolated from wood framing except to provide clearance for movement due to expansion.
Hey John,

Thanks for the reply!

I was asking about the one at the back.

There is about 3.5' from that back wall to the edge of the window frame. I'm just going to frame that end of the room into a closet.

I was fairly sure I could leave it but do you think it would be better to take the cover and fins off, and insulate the pipe so I'm not heating the closet?
 
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Old 09-08-18, 09:53 AM
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Just saw last post but I already did the pic and thought it might be helpful. Don’t get the 28-30 together with the 3.5 feet (but I don’t get al lot of things lol). Is the window in the closet?
 
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Old 09-08-18, 10:01 AM
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LOL - I hear ya!

From the edge of the window to the back wall is about 40" but I'm only coming out, from the back wall, maybe 30", so no, the window will not be in the closet
 
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Old 09-08-18, 11:43 AM
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A warm closet should not be a problem. Just closing the top cover will limit the amount of heat by cutting off air circulation through the baseboard enclosure. A cold exterior wall in a closet can be a source of condensation and/or mildew.

I actually have a situation like that in a small dressing room (oversized walk-in closet) and putting on warm shoes on a cold morning is a benefit. (The shoes are on a shelf mounted just above the radiation.)
 
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Old 09-08-18, 11:58 AM
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Good tip! I'm going to do just that...thanks for the help John!
 
 

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