Electric heaters of any type are unsafe to leave running overnight because they carry a significant amount of risk. If a space heater falls over or becomes too hot from running for too long of a period of time, that can lead to a fast-moving fire that occurs while you are asleep and cannot act fast enough.
Electric heaters during winter account for around one-third of household appliance fires. As such, you should never leave your heater running overnight whilst you sleep. By doing so, you are not only creating a potential safety risk, but electric heaters can also dry up your nasal passages.
Running a space heater overnight increases the risk of fire. If the unit is left unattended or placed too close to flammable materials, such as curtains or bedding, it can ignite and lead to a devastating fire.
What is the safest heater to leave on overnight? While it's not recommended to leave any space heater on if you're not monitoring it, oil-filled, radiant space heaters are considered safer than ceramic convection (hot air) types, according to Roberson. Both of these options are safer than open-coil heaters.
It is not safe to run a space heater overnight. If you use an electric or propane space heater during the day, make sure to protect yourself and your home by following all safety practices. Use space heaters that automatically turn off if they tip over. Only plug space heaters into grounded outlets.
A better idea: Turn the heat down, not off
Not only is it okay to leave the heater on all night, it can save you money. Here's the secret: Set the temperature of your home at least eight degrees lower for the eight hours or so that you sleep at night.
It's very easy for things in your home to catch fire if placed too close to a fan heater. Also, try to keep children and animals away from fan heaters. It's possible that they could drop or poke something through the vents and onto the metal coil, which may start a fire, and puts them in danger if they're too close.
Never leave your space heater alone in the room
The best way to prevent a fire is to never leave a space heater running in a room unattended—that way, if anything does go wrong, you can take action quickly.
During the Day: It's safe to leave your heater on for 6-8 hours if you're in the room.
Electric fan heaters are very power intensive, consuming a lot of electricity even in a short space of heating time. Electricity prices are also on the rise, so you'll want to limit your usage of your electric fan heater only to when it's really necessary.
Oil-filled heaters are ideal for
They run quietly and keep the heat even after they're turned off, making them perfect for overnight use or for long-lasting comfort without needing to stay on.
In fact, the risks tend to outweigh the benefits. This is why it's generally not recommended that you leave your space heater on overnight.
A fan's housing will get warm after prolonged use due to the fan's motor generating heat when converting electricity into movement. This heat is why many people think it is unsafe to leave fans running; however, it is normal and will dissipate from the fan's housing and not exceed a safe limit.
Long-term use of heaters in enclosed spaces can be hazardous because it increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can lead to headaches, nausea, dizziness, and weakness.
Energy Consumption
The average electric heater fan uses 2000 watts per hour. This means that if you use the fan for one hour, it will consume 2000 watts of electricity. To put it into perspective, consider that an average laptop uses around 50 watts per hour, while a refrigerator uses around 1200 watts per hour.
There have been many reports from doctors that sleeping with the heating on all night can cause your body to overheat much more quickly. The Sleep Charity advises that an ideal bedroom temperature is 16-18 degrees celsius. Temperatures over 24 degrees celsius can impact your sleep and cause restlessness.
You Should Not Leave Space Heaters on Unattended
Electric heaters of any type are unsafe to leave running overnight because they carry a significant amount of risk.
The best room temperature for sleep is approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius). This may vary by a few degrees from person to person, but most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius) for the most comfortable sleep.
Do not ever leave the heater unattended. Avoid the carbon monoxide poisoning by turning off the heater and unplugging it before leaving the room or going to the bed.
Plugging in your car overnight, therefore, will give you no extra boost and will only eat into your power bill. If running out to your car four hours before commuting is just not tenable, buy a block heater timer.
Sealed combustion heaters are much safer to operate than other types of space heaters, and operate more efficiently because they do not draw in the heated air from the room and exhaust it to the outdoors. They are also less likely to backdraft and adversely affect indoor air quality.
ALL electric convector heaters are 100% efficient. ALL fan heaters (including ceramic) are 100% efficient. ALL halogen/infrared heaters are 98-99% efficient. (If it weren't for the fact that a tiny amount of the electricity is used for their orange light, they would be 100% too!)
A fan heater, also called a blow heater, is a heater that works by using a fan to pass air over a heat source (e.g. a heating element). This heats up the air, which then leaves the heater, warming up the surrounding room.