- Baseboard heaters are popular because of their long, narrow profile and location out of the way along the wall/floor juncture. The critical information to know when choosing the proper size of baseboard heater is the size of the room to be heated and how well it is insulated. Older homes with poor insulation require about 12.5 watts per square foot. Average insulation, which means R-11 to R-19 installed in the ceiling, needs about 10 watts per foot, and fully insulated R-19 to R-38 needs about 7.5 watts.
- Baseboard heaters come in lengths beginning at 28 inches long and going all the way up to 94 inches. The critical, and perhaps obvious, thing to keep in mind is not to buy a baseboard heater that exceeds the length of the wall you plan to mount it on. Wattage options range from 400 watts to about 1,500 watts.
- Some people prefer to use portable electric space heaters. These types of units are usually 2 feet tall, 1 or 2 feet wide, and up to 1 foot deep. When it comes to finding the appropriate size of portable electric heater for a room, you can use the same wattage specifications as for a baseboard heater. For example, a 100-square-foot room with average insulation in the ceiling needs a heater that generates about 1,000 watts of heat energy, according to HouseNeeds.com.
- There are two additional considerations when it comes to sizing your baseboard or electric heater to the room. Any ceiling that is higher than 8 feet requires additional wattage. You should increase your wattage calculations by 25 percent for every 2 feet of height above 8 feet. In colder climates, where winter temperatures drop to 20 degrees F or below for extended periods of time, use the wattage calculation for the next level up of insulation.
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