Are you having trouble shutting off a baseboard heater? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll show you 5 proven ways to turn off your baseboard heater.
We’ll also discuss the common causes of why a baseboard heater won’t turn off and how to fix them.
Having a baseboard heater is a great convenience. But it’s also a big disappointment when you can’t shut them off when you want them to.
5 Easy Methods How To Turn Off Baseboard Heater
Shutting off a baseboard heater is pretty straightforward as it comes with either a knob or switch to turn the device on or off. Some baseboard heaters have knobs on their sides for controlling the unit.
However, there are times when a knob or switch fails to work and prevents you from shutting off the device. A faulty thermostat or damaged check valve are two of the main causes of why you can’t turn off your baseboard heater, which we’ll talk about after this section.
Here are 5 proven ways to turn off your baseboard heater:
1. How to turn off your baseboard heater with a knob
Shutting off a baseboard heater with a knob is a walk in the park. You just have to turn the knob to the “off” position. And then, unplug the baseboard heater from the electrical socket.
Another function of the knob is to control the temperature in a room. You can increase or decrease the temperature by rotating the knob counterclockwise or clockwise respectively.
2. How to turn off your baseboard heater without a knob
If your baseboard heater doesn’t have a knob, you can shut it off using either the thermostat or the zone valve. Adjust the thermostat or zone valve to shut off your baseboard heater.
If you’re using an electric baseboard heater, be sure to remove the plug from the electric outlet after shutting it off.
3. How to turn off your baseboard heater with a thermostat
If the unit in your home is an electric baseboard heater that doesn’t come with a knob, chances are it’s controlled by a thermostat.
You can adjust the thermostat to the lowest setting to shut off the baseboard heater or shut off the thermostat completely.
4. How to turn off your baseboard heater without a thermostat
If your home uses a hot water baseboard heater, you can shut it off using the zone valve. Zone valves are mostly found near boilers.
The zone valve controls the flow of hot water from the boiler into the baseboard heater. Adjust the zone valve to stop the water flow, which will cause the baseboard heater to stop running.
5. How to turn off your baseboard heater in one room
Shutting off a baseboard heater in one room can’t be done if your home uses a centralized heating system. Generally, hot water baseboard heaters are connected to central heating systems, which generate hot water using boilers.
Still, it is possible to have a hot water baseboard heater in one room that you can turn off whenever you want. You can have a customized setup, but it requires re-plumbing work.
But if a room in your home has its dedicated thermostat or heating system then you can turn off your unit.
Again, if you want to turn off your baseboard heater, you can do so by following the steps already mentioned above.
Related: Alternatives to Baseboard Heaters
Possible Causes Why Your Baseboard Heater Won’t Turn Off
If your baseboard heater won’t turn off, it can be a sign of either a faulty thermostat or a damaged check valve. Typically, a thermostat can run into some problems. If you already lowered the temperature but the unit stays “On”, then your thermostat is to blame.
That said, the issue could also be caused by a damaged check valve. Heating systems for hot water baseboards have check valves that act as controllers to prevent hot water from reaching your unit’s radiator at certain times.
Faulty thermostat
You have no other option for a faulty thermostat that prevents you from shutting off a baseboard heater but to replace it. Still, you can do a quick inspection and troubleshooting before replacing it with a new one.
How to inspect and fix a faulty thermostat:
- Check the device if the temperature reading is correct. If not, then reset it and set it again to the correct temperature.
- Lower the temperature setting of your thermostat and observe if it shuts off your baseboard heater or not.
- Check if your thermostat’s battery level is low. If so, then consider replacing the battery.
- Either a jammed contact or blockage in certain connections can cause the thermostat from shutting off a baseboard heater. Tap the device to clear the jammed contact.
Also read: Best non smart thermostat
Damaged check valve
A damaged, faulty, or old check valve can prevent you from shutting off a baseboard heater. Replacing the valve might solve the problem. Here’s how:
- Drain the water from the heater.
- Remove the hose that’s connected to the check valve.
- Unscrew the damaged check valve.
- Install the new valve.
- Reconnect the hose, turn on the water, and observe if it fixes the issue.
The Bottom Line
Generally, baseboard heaters will shut off automatically when the temperature in a room reaches the desired level. But when your baseboard heater won’t turn off, there might a problem with your thermostat or check valve.
We have discussed in this post the 5 proven ways to turn off your baseboard heater. Yet, if all the shut-off and quick-fix methods we suggested don’t work, then consider calling a certified technician to solve the underlying problem.
