duncja Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Moved into this house about a week ago, weather was nice then. It's been cool the past few days, and when I tried to turn the heat on... nothing. It's an older house with baseboard heat. There are thermostats in each of the 3 bedrooms, living room, and the bathroom. I've checked everywhere for some kind of "master" switch, but can't find anything. Checked the circuit breaker and nothing is tripped. What am I missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaIconfansince80 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 The last people probably used portable electric oil heaters or something. How old is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFalcon Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Are the thermostats the older/circular variety or are they the programmable type, where you need to move the switch into heat mode? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Wilson Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Is Regular Guy still around? He's the plumber/heating and air guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvmintcheeze Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) Get a real furnace system installed. Baseboard heat systems (esp older ones) will chew up your wallet faster than Vince Young's advisers. Run a continuity check on the wiring and see if yer getting juice to them first. If not, start tracing back to the box by checking the thermostat(s) first. If so, then you need to check your units and BTW, I don't care what brand they are, a lot of those just shell out after 7-10 years. Probably why I have not installed any in the last 10 years, people got sick of that money wastage and upkeep. Seriously get a qualified electrician to look at it. I'm one, but can't help you much if not on site. If you come up with anymore discoveries and clues, let us know. Edited October 9, 2012 by Guvmintcheeze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 There are two types of baseboard heating that I know of. Electric and Water. Water will have piping running almost always to a basement, where valves and a larger boiler. Electric will have a switch on the baseboard heater itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Get a real furnace system installed. Baseboard heat systems (esp older ones) will chew up your wallet faster than Vince Young's advisers. Run a continuity check on the wiring and see if yer getting juice to them first. If not, start tracing back to the box by checking the thermostat(s) first. If so, then you need to check your units and BTW, I don't care what brand they are, a lot of those just shell out after 7-10 years. Probably why I have not installed any in the last 10 years, people got sick of that money wastage and upkeep. Seriously get a qualified electrician to look at it. I'm one, but can't help you much if not on site. If you come up with anymore discoveries and clues, let us know.Sounds like he might be renting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvmintcheeze Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 these pretty much all run on 220 MAKE SURE you find the correct breaker and flip it all the way off and back on again. Sometimes a tripped breaker does not look like one and needs reset. You may have a shot breaker or one side of that 220 not working. They are all line voltage and I'm ASSUMING your therms are wall-mounted, tho they may be unit mounted. Make sure your therms have juice. Since all of yours seems to be out I'm guessing breaker issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvmintcheeze Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Sounds like he might be renting.Oh well then ****, make the landlord fix it. 'Tis why ya pay rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvmintcheeze Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 There are two types of baseboard heating that I know of. Electric and Water. Water will have piping running almost always to a basement, where valves and a larger boiler. Electric will have a switch on the baseboard heater itself.Erm, depends on the brand and how it's wired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Erm, depends on the brand and how it's wired.Sounds like you have a lot of experience with it. I only rented a place once that had it (and I watch This Old House ). The place I rented had a switch hidden under a cover plate on the baseboard heater.Oh well then ****, make the landlord fix it. 'Tis why ya pay rent.Eggslactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvmintcheeze Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) Sounds like you have a lot of experience with it. I only rented a place once that had it (and I watch This Old House ). The place I rented had a switch hidden under a cover plate on the baseboard heater.Eggslactly.Yeah, the "Cheaper/easier" ones had the therms and ish mounted on the units. (Definitely easier as far as wiring goes) but like I said, all those older brands (and by older I mean ALL of them) were notorious for shelling out by or before the 10 year mark. AND they eat up your money heating your house on 220 electric. Most of the electric heating units now are cove heat/upper wall/ceiling mounted for more efficiency. Still not cheap but ok for rooms that's too hard to get a heat duct to. You can still get baseboard heaters of course, but I don't think many peeps do. I've not installed any in like 10 years, after a rash of a few years doing a ton of 'em. Edited October 9, 2012 by Guvmintcheeze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Yeah, the "Cheaper/easier" ones had the therms and ish mounted on the units. (Definitely easier as far as wiring goes) but like I said, all those older brands (and by older I mean ALL of them) were notorious for shelling out by or before the 10 year mark. AND they eat up your money heating your house on 220 electric. Most of the electric heating units now are cove heat/upper wall/ceiling mounted for more efficiency. Still not cheap but ok for rooms that's too hard to get a heat duct to. You can still get baseboard heaters of course, but I don't think many peeps do. I've not installed any in like 10 years, after a rash of a few years doing a ton of 'em.Those min-splits you're talking about have become uber-efficient. You can get them upwards of 24 SEER, which I am in the process of putting in my garage. The biggest issue with them is that they are louder, uglier, and of course the cool/heat is spottier than forced air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncja Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 It warmed up and I forgot about this thread. I've flipped all the circuit breakers multiple times. It's the old school thermostat with the "wheel" that you turn. There's no basement on this house, just a crawl space, but I don't think it's heated by water. I'm at a loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzummo Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Check the pilot light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronBallsMcGinty Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Put on a sweater? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metatron360 Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Electric heater ot furnace. In this economy it's not worth spending over 2 grand for overcharged gas. Sucks winter will be spent in your smallest room and getting out of the shower will be heck. But it'll save you money in the end. Most companies fixing furnaces rip you off anyway, that's why landlords are so reluctant to do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 If he's renting, the landlord has a legal obligation to provide heat and AC if he rented the house under the assumption that there was working heat and AC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvmintcheeze Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 It warmed up and I forgot about this thread. I've flipped all the circuit breakers multiple times. It's the old school thermostat with the "wheel" that you turn. There's no basement on this house, just a crawl space, but I don't think it's heated by water. I'm at a loss.Dumb question, but have you checked the ends of the base units for a turn dial? Or even an on/off switch? Some had those. Usually just numbered settings like 1-10 or something. May be turned down there. Not saying they are not out there, But I myself have never seen a baseboard water unit. These were designed to be electric. Although a FEW were gas or LP. **** few. Mostly industrial/shop/garage units. The only water heat systems to heat rooms and not floors were the old cast iron radiators with a boiler system connected. I can see you guys using this type of heat in the milder south winters. Up here we like REAL flamethrowers. (It gets cold, ******). Anyways, as before, if yer renting, get the LL to fix it. If owning, call someone. Ya'll pay for airfare, hotels, time etc. I'll come work it out for ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.