Electric baseboard heaters provide fast and abundant heat, however electric baseboard heaters can be hazardous to small children because they can get very hot. Toddlers have curious fingers and parents are not always there to supervise all the things their children do every moment of every day. An electric baseboard heater can get really hot when it is on and can burn a child’s hands and fingers. Childproofing electric baseboard heaters will avoid these incidents.

The suggestions below will go a long way in making baseboard heater safe.

Cover the heater with a heater cover:

Choose the style of cover that will blend well with the interior design of your home. There are several perforated or decorative steel covers you can choose from. If your interior is mostly made of wood, you may use a wood finish heater cover to for a custom cabinet appearance. Whichever you choose, make sure that it does not only complement the décor of your home, but that it is also an effective child safety device. Keep in mind that your main purpose is to prevent your children from having contact with the hot electric baseboard heater.

Insure that the heater cover fits properly:

You can insure that the cover fits by measuring the length of the electric baseboard heater from end to end. If the heater is located beneath a window, add an additional length so that the cover will appear centered below the window.

Measure the depth of the heater:

If your covering is made of wood, you may want to add half an inch more to your measurement. This will insure there will be enough space on the front side of the baseboard heater. The best way to measure the depth of the heater is by removing the front cover and measure from the front area of the aluminum fins to the back of the wall. This will give you an accurate measurement.

Measuring the heater height:

Measure the distance from the floor up to the top of the heater. Take in consideration any additional floor covering such as carpets.

Where to buy heater covers:

Most heating equipment supply stores carry a wide variety of baseboard heater covers. If they don’t have the baseboard heater cover of your choice, try ordering it online.

How to install the heater cover:

Use the manufacturer’s instructions when installing the cover. In most cases the cover will simply slip over the heater and fit firmly to the heater. In most applications the cover does not have to be attached to the floor or the wall.

Baseboard heater covers can protect infants against burns.