Determining your electric heating needs is calculated by the room size. This includes the total living area of the room to be heated. Remember that if you are in a particularly cold area of the country, check with your local inspector or heating and cooling contractor for correct sizing for you area. Just because your electric baseboard heaters have thermostats, doesn't mean you can always turn it up high enough to keep up with the heating demands.
Using the chart below, try and size your electric heater as close to the appropriate wattage as possible. When in doubt, oversize the heater to assure that the unit can properly maintain the needed heat in your home.
Photo: Timothy Thiele
Heating Rating Needed For Living Area And Circuit Size
| Manufacturers Recommended Heating Needs | ||
| Total Area Of Room (Sq. Feet) | Recommended Heater Rating (Watts) | Eectrical Circuit Size Needed (240-volts) |
| 100 | 900 | 15 Amps |
| 150 | 1,350 | 15 Amps |
| 200 | 1,800 | 15 Amps |
| 300 | 2,700 | 15 Amps |
| 400 | 3,600 | 20 Amps |
| 500 | 4,500 | 30 Amps |
| 800 | 7,200 | 40 Amps |
| 1,000 | 9,000 | 50 Amps |
