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.
Space heaters should not be left on while unattended.
Plug electric space heaters directly into wall outlets and never into an extension cord or power strip.
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. If you have kids or pets that could knock a heater over or drape fabric on it, keep a very close eye on its operation.
An electric heater is safest to leave unattended provided you are not dangling something flammable close in front of it or around it for that matter.
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). Budget for $0.25 every hour if it's running full blast. Use judgement for condition of an outlet/wiring.
Ceramic IR heaters are safe; they do not create pollutants as they run, and they do not involve open flames the way wood heaters do. Because they do not rely on radiative heat transfer, they do not add dangerous levels of heat to employees' working conditions.
Do Electric Space Heaters Produce Carbon Monoxide? No. Only heaters that burn a combustible fuel to create heat can cause carbon monoxide build-up in your home. An electrical heater works by having electricity flow through a metal heating or ceramic heating element to produce heat.
Absolutely. The US Department of Energy records about 25,000 house fires every year that are linked to a space heater fire.
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.
Often time you may feel the need to use your Lasko space heater overnight to keep the chill away. We do not recommend, under any circumstances to run a heater unattended.
Energy-Saving Features
Space heaters tend to use a lot of electricity and energy only to heat up a small portion of space. However, ceramic heaters tend to be the most energy-efficient option among different types of heaters.
Unless you are producing the electricity to operate the heater using a portable generator, there are no vapors, toxic or otherwise, produced by the heater.
If you're in and out of the room, consider using a timer to automatically shut it off after a few hours, especially if you tend to forget. At Night: If you choose to use your space heater overnight, it's best to limit its operation to 4 to 6 hours on a lower setting.
Contrary to belief, these heaters do not consume oxygen or release harmful gases while operating.
Ceramic radiators emit an even split of fast-acting convected heat and long-lasting radiant heat. Infrared radiation directly warms people rather than the air, making them ideal for rooms that struggle with draughts or cold spots.
That being said, ceramic space heaters are safe to leave on all night because the outside shell does not heat up and thus remains cool, posing no harm to you or your family. Ceramic heaters are among the safest heaters to use throughout the night.
The good news is that modern infrared heaters are very safe to use even when left unattended during the night, even while you are sleeping.
If you are using your home's furnace, no matter the type, keeping it running throughout the day and night is fully safe to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
Hazard: The heater's cord can overheat where it enters the base of the unit, which could pose a fire hazard to consumers.
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.
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.
Cons: Higher initial cost, bulkier design, hot external surfaces, and slower heat-up time.
The heat generated by ceramic heaters is passed to the surroundings by conduction, convection, and radiation.