Receptacles Above Radiant Heat

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euclid43

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Receptacles are not allow directly above baseboard heaters; however, I am doing a remodel and there are recepts above radiant heaters. Is there a difference? I am hesitant to put more remodel recepts in until I here from this forum. Thanks.
 
If you're referring to hydronic hot water baseboard style heating the receptacles can go above the baseboard.
 
Resistive electric heat has instruction that state the receptacle is not allowed above the unit, however, the hydronic- liquid filled etc do not have that requirement. 210.52 informational note
 
I am not so sure that is right (addressing both Rob and Dennis). What the informational note says is that listed heaters may have instructions that prohibit installing them under receptacle outlets. It does not say that all listed heaters have that instruction. More to the point, a hydronic heater is likely to be listed, even if it has no electrical parts, and its instructions might have the same restriction about the location of receptacles. Indeed, some hydronic heaters will include a fan, and that would bring an electrical listing into play.

What I would like to know, and what I think the OP is asking, is why there should be a difference. Heat is heat, regardless of its source. If it is dangerous to have a plug inserted into a receptacle that is above a heater, then it would not matter how that heater gets its energy.
 
Heat is best, but the maximum temperature at the surface of the Hester if airflow is accidentally blocked can be very high with resistance heating, but no higher then the thermostatically controlled water temperature with hydronic.
Damage to any cord plugged into the receptacle and then draped over the heater is a concern.
 
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