Floor Heater Clearance

[inspectorwill]

Is there a clearance requirement for the upper grates on older floor heaters? This 50+ year old wall heater has darkened areas on the wood paneling around the top that rather concerned me.

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[hausdok]

Is that an electric heater?

If so, it has to be opened up a couple of times a year to blow/vacuum out all of the dust, pet hair and lint that accumulate inside. If one goes all summer without cleaning them out, come winter when you start to use them the crud that builds up inside smoulders and the wall gets smoke stained and the home smells like a crematorium.

I can walk through a house with those electric heaters, and, before I even open them up, identify which ones will be full of dust and hair and whatever just by all of the smoke stains.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[inspectorwill]

It's a gas floor heater and there was a lot of dust and pet hair on and around the firebox. I suspected this as the cause but not sure. Never seen the staining so pronounced.