I always have them hang to the floor over hot water baseboard heaters. I would not however do this over electric baseboards.

If the drapes are open most of the time (or all the time), there is very little heat captured. It's really not an issue.

@PH Interiors, LLC
"If the drapes are open most of the time (or all the time), there is very little heat captured. It's really not an issue."
True. I suppose you could use blinds inset into the window frame for privacy in that case.

Hi Marilyn. Yes, for privacy I wouldn't suggest drapes alone - using them with shades/blinds always a better option.

Hello. I have a condo I just bought and every window needs a new treatment, and every window is above an electric baseboard heater. The majority are single windows but there are also three sets of five mulled units. Any suggestions of what type of treatment(s) I should be looking for?

I have hot water baseboard heat, and in my living room I hemmed the drapes to the top of the heater, and in the bedrooms to the bottom of the window frame. However, I rarely close the drapes, and also have shades in the windows if I need privacy.

I have hot water and all my drapes ( including sheer material ) go to the floor and cover the rads and all my drapes are like new after many years.

My drapes stay open, I have blinds ( pleated sheer shades on window) and drapes go to the floor. Baseboard hot water heat.

Thank you for asking this question, and for everyone's answers, as I have the same problem!

I was asking advice for window treatments above ELECTRIC baseboard heaters, not hot water baseboard heaters. You cannot hang curtains on electric baseboard heaters, nor directly above them as they might ignite. Hot water baseboard doesn't get hot enough to ignite fabric. So, are the only options blinds? Any ideas for fancier, more "custom" blinds?

dmfisher1: I can't answer your question about more stylish custom blinds (perhaps blinds [dot] com may have options illustrated], but I thank you for the information about the difference between electric and hot water baseboard heating. I hadn't realized that there was such danger with electric baseboard heaters. Perhaps others didn't either. Thanks again.

Yes indeed. In fact, when removing the old, ugly fan-fold blinds from this condo, I saw a number of those little plastic cones, at the ends of the blind pull cords, were melted, and still laying on top of the heaters! If you have new baseboard electric, generally you will have a thermostat that has a display that shows what temp you are setting the heat to, i.e. 70°. In older homes that haven't been updated, some just show "low" "medium" "high". Well, if you have a guest or a young person who isn't familiar with the heat, they may just turn it right up to "high". If you have a curtain laying on the heater, or like what happened here, a plastic blind pull, you will have trouble.

I have been searching online and on Houzz, and I do like the look of the bamboo/reed roman shade with a "cornice board". Thanks for the Blinds suggestion.

roman shades

http://www.houzz.com/projects/480209/Maxxmar-Shades

Check out Maxxmar blinds and shades. They have an incredible selection of stylish blinds, shades and shutters for your windows above electric baseboards. My favorite would have to be Mandolay or Sunset which have fabric that slides from open to close and can come with an Opera shade behind it for added privacy/darkness.

To be safe from fire when curtains closed or open, how many inches should they be above an electric baseboard heater? Please don't change the situation. All I want to know is a safe number of inches between the bottom of the curtains and the top of the electric heater.

2013 Post

Am considering thermal drapes for our living windows. We already have cellular shades and would like to be more energy efficient. It is a 107" length of 3 windows that is the challenge. We have baseboard hot water heaters. The question is curtain length if energy efficiency is a priority.

I, too, am wanting to just use thermal drapes and have hot water baseboard heat. I can tell when I have them closed the heat is trapped and the room colder. found this link which attempts to answer several questions here, with regard to length and fire danger, etc. https://www.hunker.com/13419124/how-far-away-should-curtains-be-from-baseboard-heaters

My apartment has wall length (not just under the window) HOT WATER baseboard heating. The baseboard even runs around the corner, partway down the next wall. I have vertical blinds in the living room. In the bedroom, I just bought long, lightweight curtains that go to the floor. My thinking is that the curtains would keep ice from forming on the windows in minus temps in winter. And since my bed is right next to the window and runs the width of the room, the baseboard part that is not covered by curtain will keep my room warm quite warm enough. I was just worried about the curtains being a fire hazard, but from what I've read here, it's not an issue with hot water baseboards.

I have this problem too but with some additional extras: it’s a part time home and located in Minnesota so heat stays on in the winter for visits (not winterized). The second issues is that it’s a sliding glass door so many of the other options are viable (Roman, plantation, etc.) I’m not a fan of verticals blinds and they would cause same issue. Open to all suggestions. The floor heaters are very old and water vice electric.

To the floor to cover the heater looks elegant and professional. Otherwise the curtains look cheap and I have impression that the owner of the house mistakenly ordered too short curtains online 😅

So far there hasn't been a problem with the long length of my curtains over the hot water baseboard heater. They don't block the heating. It's still plenty warm in the winter. And no fire hazard. I'm still alive :)