How long can baseboards stay on?

[siklein]

I had installed 3 electric baseboards in my basement about 6 months ago. It is the kind of boards that each of the 3 units has its own on/off switch connected directly to the front of each unit. The wiring for each unit is built direclty into the wall, so I cannot see any electric plugs?

My question is- can these boards be left on continuoulsy for days and weeks at a time? Or is that too long a time? I guess I am worry about possibly overheating and causing a fire.

Do these baseboards ever go bad over time, and can that also be fire hazard?

Any advice please.
Steve

[Phelps]

They can run and run and run. Consider that some people have these as back up heat in cold rooms and turn these on when a room is like freezing...literally. And it has to run and run and run, to bring the room up to temp.

Ovbviously it is imperative that the wiring size and circuit breaker is of correct size. That is where the issue really lies. Not with the heater itself. The worst that is going to happen with the heater running and running and running, is that it will burn itself out (like how a bake element in a stove wil burn out), prematurely. But as far as safety goes...as long as the house wiring and breaker is correct...it is okay.

Generally, 240 v baseboard heater are 250 watts per foot. So you can do the math.

[HayZee518]

Those heaters generally have an integral thermostat at either end of the heater. Also inside is a thermal switch called a "klixon" You won't see any plugs or receptacles because these are "hard-wired" in from the panelbox. Because of the thermostat they cycle on and off until its setting is satisfied. They can run left un monitored for a long time. How fast they can get a room up to temperature depends on the fin construction that surrounds the elements. Thicker ones retain the heat longer than thin ones.