Space heaters are designed to run for a few hours and warm a small space. These units aren't intended to run all day or night, operating without stopping for eight hours or more.
The duration for which you can leave a space heater running depends on the time of day and your specific needs. During the Day: It's safe to leave your heater on for 6-8 hours if you're in the room. If you're busy or moving between rooms, consider using a timer to automatically shut it off after a few hours.
Recommended Usage Times. During the Day: It's generally safe to run your space heater for 6 to 8 hours during the day while you're home and active.
You Should Not Leave Space Heaters on Unattended
We do not recommend using space heaters at all because of this risk, but you definitely should not use them at night. If your home is too cold at night, you may want to consider adjusting your thermostat to better meet your needs.
Using the heater too often could lead to undesirable consequences like leaving out skin or nasal passages dried out. It Can Cause Carbon Monoxide Poisoning-It's important to keep your space heater in good working order so you don't have any accidents or health problems.
Portable space heaters can get very hot and ignite nearby objects, by either tipping over or being in close proximity to these objects. The heater's exposed heating coils or elements can spark a fire in seconds. Overloading an outlet may cause an electrical fire or lead to the appliance overheating.
Space heaters can take anywhere from 750 watts to 3,000 watts to operate. Large space heaters take immense amounts of energy to run. However, those are most likely used only in commercial and industrial settings. The average residential space heater has two main heat settings, low and high.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, space heaters are involved in more than a thousand home fires every year.
Using a space heater can be a good way to boost the temperature in a small, drafty room—and it could be less expensive than cranking up your central heating system. But a space heater is economical only if you use it judiciously.
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.
On average, space heaters use 1,500 watts of electricity.
Using a space heater 8 hours per day will use about 84 kilowatt-hours of electricity per week. It costs an average of $51.65 to run a space heater for a month and $258.26 to run for a year. The best way to save on electricity is to install solar panels.
While electric space heaters do not produce carbon monoxide (CO), non-electric space heaters (propane gas, natural gas, kerosene, wood) can if incomplete combustion occurs. If these types of heaters are in use, it is recommended that a working CO detector be used to indicate the presence of high-level CO gas.
Running Your Heating System Continuously May Be a Good Idea
It isn't bad to run your heating system on a 24/7 basis if outdoor weather conditions demand indoor warmth.
It's a Fire Hazard
Leaving your electric heater on all day is also a fire hazard. If you are not home to monitor the heater, it could overheat and start a fire.
The US Department of Energy records about 25,000 house fires every year that are linked to a space heater fire. Many result in trips to the emergency room, with more than 300 fatalities each year. Property damage from these fires can be devastating, requiring extensive professional fire damage restoration.
It can lead to dry throats, congestion, and increased breathing difficulties. People with respiratory conditions may experience more frequent symptoms, making it harder to breathe and causing discomfort. Sleep quality: Excessive heat and dry air can disrupt sleep by making it difficult to regulate body temperature.
Example (you can use an electric heater running cost calculator below for different wattages/kWh prices): If we assume the price of electricity is $0.1319 per kWh, a 1,500-watt electric space heater will cost; $0.20 to run per hour. $4.80 to run per 24 hours (day). $11.20 to run per week (8h/day).
Location and severe climates can affect this range, but between 68 and 72 degrees is the general recommendation.
Place space heaters on a solid, flat surface. Keep them at least three feet from things that can burn. Check your space heater for cracked or damaged cords and plugs. Plug space heaters directly into wall outlets, don't use an extension cord or power strip.
Portable heaters can cause fires if they are placed too close to combustible materials, such as drapes, furniture or bedding, so make sure to place them at least three feet away from these materials.
Oil filled radiator space heaters are some of the safest on the market. 1500W is all the juice an outlet will provide (Roughly 5,000 btus).
Con: Fire and Burn Risk
The National Fire Protection Association warns that space heaters account for more than 40% of all home heating-related fires. Space heaters are also responsible for most fire-related deaths during winter, and they account for thousands of burn-related injuries each year.
Average TVs use between 50 and 200 W of electricity to stay powered. On average, solar panels are rated at around 350 W, meaning you'll be able to power a TV easily with just one solar panel.
Many electric space heaters are rated for up to 1,500 watts, so it's important for homeowners to be aware of how much draw their appliance requires beforehand. As a rule of thumb, any combination of appliances that exceed a total wattage of 2,500 can potentially cause a circuit breaker to trip.