How to Protect Furniture from a Baseboard Heater

Depending on where you place item in a room, you may need to know how to protect furniture from a baseboard heater. You have a considerable investment in your household furniture so you always want to protect it from harm.

Cover the Heater

Make sure to always use a baseboard heater cover. These covers can help direct hot air that emanates from the heater keeping it away from the lower and foot areas of furniture nearby. Baseboard heaters sit about a half inch off the floor and typically are not very tall. However, bare heaters can present a hazard to furniture dispensing not only hot air, but steam as well that can easily damage wood – new or antique.

Although most furniture can be protectively coated to have some level of water resistance, constant blowing of steam or hot air can cause such coatings to melt or become inefficient. Baseboard covers can also be decorated to match the furniture décor thus adding a dimension of design to its already functional use.

Maintain the Heater

Conduct periodic baseboard heater maintenance to make sure the units are properly working so they do not damage the surrounding area or furniture. Check to make sure all air and steam venting work properly and are not affecting any nearby furniture when opened and operated. Make sure all coil fins are straight and in place so these do not affect any excessive heat flowing out onto nearby furniture.

Position the Furniture

Often it is necessary to re-design the furniture layout in a room when baseboard heating is installed. If you already have baseboard heating installed in an empty room or home in which you are moving into, make a furniture placement diagram for each room. Modern furniture pieces may hold up much better than antique ones. It might be a wise move to place modern designed furniture in closer areas to baseboard heating than placing valuable antique pieces nearby. An obvious point is never block a baseboard heater with a piece of furniture. This is an invitation for disaster. Wall based units should be located between baseboard heating units. A good idea is to install a heat shield between the baseboard heater and any adjoining furniture to protect the lower area feet from any damage that might be caused by constant hot air flow. A smart design for sitting placements should keep fabric covered furniture far enough away from any baseboard heaters to ensure no damage can be cause to the material or the feet.