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.
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.
Absolutely. 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.
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.
Always turn off the heater when you leave the room. Extended use of heaters can make them break down internally, and they could catch fire. Plus, you waste energy when the space heater is keeping an empty room warm. To be on the safe side, look for a space heater that has automatic shutoff features.
Overusing the heater or using an oversized heater can result in elevated levels of carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide fumes in the air. These fumes can cause cold or flu-like symptoms, headaches, and eye, nose and throat irritation.
Most use 1,500 watts when on the highest heat setting, which costs about $2 per 8-hour day or over $50 a month based on the average cost of electricity nationally (local costs vary).
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.
To save on heating bills, you can crank down the thermostat and use a space heater for local warmth. Those looking to cut heating bills as the weather cools, have options beyond adding a warm sweater and socks.
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.
Fires are one of the biggest risks associated with leaving electric heaters on all night. If an electric heater has frayed wiring or malfunctions, then there is a high chance of it igniting. Electric heaters also make the air in the room really dry by conducting a lot of heat.
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).
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.
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.
But they can also pose a safety risk no matter where you use them. Portable space heaters were involved in an average of 1,700 house fires a year from 2017 to 2019, according to the most recent statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. These fires resulted in an average of 70 deaths annually.
If you use a space heater in your home, please be aware that using a space heater can cause a significant increase in your monthly bill. A 1,000-watt space heater operating 12 hours a day will add about $40 to your monthly bill. If the cost does not deter you, remember how important it is to use space heaters safely.
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).
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.
Most home heating deaths happened because a space heater was too close to furniture, clothing, mattresses, or bedding. Make sure your heater is at least three feet from anything that can burn.
The estimated life expectancy of these heaters ranged from 5 to 12 years with an average of about 8 years of useful life.
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.
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.
If someone is at home in the daytime, 72° F (22° C) is a good start, but aim for 68° F (20° C). If everyone is away from home in the daytime or you're asleep at night, we feel 66° F (19° C) to 62° F (17° C) is best.