How To Turn Off Baseboard Heater [5 Easy Methods]

Turning off a baseboard heater is a piece of cake. Every baseboard heater comes with a turn-on/off switch to turn the unit on or off. Alternatively, you can find a knob on the side of the heater to control the unit. 

But what if the turn on/off switch or the knob gets faulty? How to turn off baseboard heater in your apartment then?

In short, to shut off your baseboard heater simply set your thermostat in the minimum setting or directly off your thermostat.

But, there are a few more methods to shut off your baseboard heater. We will elaborate on those ways in detail to turn off your baseboard heater. All of the turn-off systems are simple and effective. So, stay in tune with us till the end. 

How To Turn off My Baseboard Heater In An Apartment[5 Easy Methods]

We will break down how to turn off your baseboard heater following 4 alternative methods. They are:

• Turn off the heater with a knob
• Turn off the heater without a knob
• Turn off the heater with a thermostat
• Turn off the heater without a thermostat

Plus, we will also tell you whether you can turn off your baseboard heater in one room or not. So, here we go…

How To Turn Off Baseboard Heater With A Knob

Shutting your baseboard heater off is a breeze with the knob.

Just set the knob to the Off position to turn off your baseboard heater. Then, unplug the unit from the electric outlet. 

The knob of your heater does not only help you to turn the baseboard heater on or off. You can also adjust the temperature. Rotate the knob to the lower setting to decrease the temperature. To raise the temperature, just set the knob dial to a High position. 

How To Turn Off A Baseboard Heater Without A Knob

How to turn off the baseboard heater if it doesn’t have a knob?

Simple, you can shut down the baseboard heater by adjusting the thermostat. Just set the thermostat to its lowest settings or turn the thermostat to the off settings to turn off your baseboard heater. 

If you have an electric baseboard heater, there may be a wall-mounted thermostat to control the unit. Using the thermostat, you can easily turn on or off your electric baseboard heater. 

On the other hand, you can turn off the baseboard heater using the zone valve if you have a hot water baseboard heater. You can find the zone valve near the boiler. 

Note: You can read our ultimate solution guide on Baseboard heater water makes a noise.

How To Turn Off Baseboard Heater With Thermostat

You can also turn off your baseboard heater using the thermostat. 

To shut off your heater, either set the thermostat to the lowest settings or set it to the off position. 

Therefore, the thermostat of your heater gives the stop command if the temperature crosses a certain level. Indeed, shutting off a heater with a thermostat is one of the easiest methods. 

How To Turn Off Baseboard Heater Without A Thermostat

Though every baseboard heater features a thermostat, some heaters might not have the thermostat option. Alternatively, some baseboard heaters have a thermostat but do not have an off switch.

So, how to turn off the baseboard heater without a thermostat?

In this case, you need to find out the boiler or furnace switch. Once you figure it out, turn it off to shut off your baseboard heater completely. 

How To Turn Off The Power To A Baseboard Heater In One Room

When you are wondering how to turn off your baseboard heater in one room, most likely, the simple answer is you can’t do it, unfortunately.

Generally, the heating zones work as a big loop. So, you never turn the heater off for a single room without some sort of replumbing. 

The problem with replumbing is- you need to inspect the entire plumbing system because each situation is different. In this case, we recommend you hire a certified technician to take care of this issue. 

However, the scenario will be different if every room in your home has its own thermostat. In this case, you can reduce the temperature of a specific room by adjusting the thermostat. 

If you have a hot water baseboard, you can reduce the heat transfer by adjusting the damper on the baseboard housing. 

On the other hand, you need to install a switch to control the temperature on an electric baseboard. 

Why My Baseboard Heater Won’t Turn Off

Your baseboard heater won’t turn off because of a faulty or damaged thermostat. So, it’s better to check whether the thermostat is the main culprit or not behind this issue.

The following signs will help you to determine the thermostat is to blame: 

1. If your baseboard heater doesn’t go to the off position but the AC runs all the time.
2. Secondly, the room temperature is different from the temperature you set on the thermostat. 

Well, if your thermostat provides inaccurate temperature readings, then the thermostat of your baseboard heater must get defective. In this case, you need to check the thermostat.

How To Inspect My Thermostat

Check and ensure the thermostat provides the incorrect temperature. Lower the thermostat temperature & notice whether it turns off your baseboard heater or not.

If you notice the same temperature is going on, it’s for a blockage connection in your thermostat.

How To Fix Faulty Thermostat

Clear the jammed contact by tapping. It will fix your issue for a while. To get a perfectly working baseboard heater, you may need to replace the thermostat. But, before replacing it, be sure your thermostat has got damaged. 

Plus, it’s wise to check your baseboard frequently to trace out any problems and fix them primarily.

How To Replace A Thermostat

Follow the below step-by-step guides to replace a thermostat: 

• First, make sure the power is off. Then, unfasten the screws that attach the plate to the wall using a screwdriver. Once you remove those screws, put the cover aside. 
• Now, unscrew those mounting screws that keep the thermostat in place. Then, pull out the thermostat from there and you can find several wires are left exposed. 
• Organize those wires and mark them so that you don’t forget where they were. It will help you reattach those wires again to the new thermostat. Also, make sure you bunch those wires together to track them.
• Now, it’s time to replace the old thermostat with a new one. Before that, ensure you run a low-voltage wire through the base plate. Then, position your new thermostat and attach all the wires according to the mark you made before. 
• Afterward, fasten the mounting screws through the mounting holes to secure the thermostat with the wall. Finally, put the cover back into its place. 

Alternatively, you can check out this article on replacing an electric baseboard heater thermostat.

How To Block Heat From Baseboard Heater

You can block heat from your baseboard heater following the below ways: 

• Most baseboard heaters have a rolling slot damper. You can rotate it by hand to block the heat coming out of your baseboard heater. 
• You can also put a blanket over the radiator. Alternatively, you can cover the radiators with magazines or other thick materials to restrict the heat of your baseboard heater. Keep in mind; we don’t recommend these approaches if your baseboard heater is electric. Therefore, you can get a decorative heat cover and place it over your baseboard heater to gain extra protection. 
• Lastly, don’t hesitate to purchase fireplace screens. Just buy some of them and place them in front of the heaters to restrict heat from the baseboard heaters. 

Well, to know more in detail you can read about 5 easy methods on how to block heat from the baseboard heater.

How To Turn Off Baseboard Heater Valve

Baseboard heaters have an air bleeder valve on the baseboard piping. You can find it close to the top of the radiator as you can see in the picture below.

To turn off the baseboard heater valve, you should use a radiator key or a screwdriver. Just get a slotted screwdriver and tap on the heater valve with it to turn off the valve. 

In this case, watching this video will be helpful for you.

Well, keep in mind; not every individual baseboard heater has an air bleeder valve. In this case, we recommend you hire a professional to bleed your baseboard heater. 

FAQ:

Are baseboard heaters always on?

No, baseboard heaters aren’t always on. You can turn it on and off according to your needs. 

How do I know if my baseboard heater is working?

Take a look at these three spots: The circuit breaker panel, the thermostat, and inside the heater. If everything is well in these places, understand your baseboard heater is working properly. But when there are issues with these three, you will find your baseboard heater is not working in a single room or everywhere on the baseboard.

Why is my heating still on when it’s turned off?

Your heater still produces heat though you turn the heater off if the check valve of the heater gets broken. 

How do you free a stuck diverter valve?

We recommend you get commercial cleaners for boilers to free a stuck diverter valve. 

Why does the thermostat not shut off?

Due to a faulty thermostat, the thermostat of your heater will not shut off. 

Conclusion

Throughout this guide, we discussed how to turn off the baseboard heater. Following the methods we mentioned above, you can effectively turn off your heater.

However, if any of the shut-off techniques we suggest don’t work, understand there might be a serious problem with your heating system.

So, it would be best to call a certified technician or your baseboard heater customer support center to solve the issue.