This one needs a licensed pro
Call an electrician: the heater still has no heat
A baseboard heater that stays cold with the thermostat up and the breaker on, or one that heats and shuts off, has a problem in the heater or its wiring. That is a licensed electrician's job.
Why this happens
Cadet's owner's guide lists a faulty breaker, loose supply connections, a heater that does not match the circuit's voltage and several heaters wired in series as reasons a heater does not heat, and says any service other than cleaning should be done by an authorized service representative. Dimplex says that for a 240-volt heater that was just hooked up and is not working or is barely warm, the most common cause is the connection at the power source inside the electrical panel, and it points owners to the original installer or a certified electrician to check it. Cadet's FAQ says that if a heater will not reset and the circuit is good, the heater needs to be repaired or replaced.
What to do right now
- If you see smoke or flames, smell burning or gas, see scorch marks or sparks, or the heater glows red, leave if there is smoke, flames or gas, and follow the burning smell page linked below.
- If your baseboard has metal pipes or a water line running to it, it is a hot-water baseboard and not electric, so an electrician is the wrong trade. Call an HVAC technician or licensed heating contractor and do not touch the boiler.
- If the heater has been getting unusually hot or repeatedly shutting itself off, Cadet's owner's guide says to turn off the circuit breaker right away. At the panel open only the hinged door, switch OFF the breaker for that heater and do not use the heater. Skip this if you cannot tell which breaker it is, or if anything near the panel is wet or you would be standing in water, and call an electrician. Otherwise leave the breaker as it is and do not keep resetting it.
- Do not remove the heater's cover or its thermostat's faceplate, and do not touch any wiring.
- Keep furniture, bedding, clothes and curtains away from the heater, as Cadet says.
- Call a licensed electrician. Cadet and Dimplex both tell owners to contact the maker's customer service if the owner's guide does not solve it, so keep your model number handy.
- If you rent, tell your landlord or property manager. NYCHA tells its residents to report heat problems, and Boston's city site says a building's owner is responsible for servicing its heating system.
When to stop. If the heater smells like burning, glows red, shows scorch marks, sparks or buzzes, switch off its breaker only if you can do it safely and stay away from it. If you see smoke or flames, or smell gas, leave and call 911 from outside.
What to tell the HVAC technician
- The heater's brand, model and the voltage printed on its label.
- Whether the thermostat is on the wall or built into the heater, and whether it has an OFF setting.
- Which breaker serves the heater, whether it tripped, and how soon it tripped again.
- Whether one heater or several rooms are affected, and when it last worked.
- Whether the heater heats and then shuts off, smells, hums or clicks.
Build the full list: what to tell the HVAC technician.
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