Space heaters are an essential tool in the wintertime. They keep us warm, and they also help alleviate the costs of heating our homes when it gets cold outside. But what if you forget to turn off your space heater? What’s too long for a space heater to be left on?
This post will cover how long is too long so that you never have to worry about this again! This is mainly because not many people know how long they should leave their space heaters on.
Therefore, some people end up causing accidents and issues resulting from mishandling their heaters. Luckily, this post will guide you in the right direction.
How Long Can Space Heaters Be Left On?
The ideal amount of time you should leave a space heater on is between 30-60 minutes. This is because most heaters work best when turned on for this amount of time. If you leave it on longer than one hour, the chance of overheating becomes greater, and there are more chances that something dangerous will happen to your heater or even.
If you feel your heater is taking longer than usual to finish warming the room or if it gets sweltering even though it’s not heating anything, then something might be wrong with your heater.
You should always check that there isn’t an issue before calling in maintenance, as this may save time and money! Electric Space Heaters usually last about 8 hours.
It’s probably best to turn off electric space heaters overnight unless they have a temperature control setting. You should be able to find the right temperature for your heater to limit its usage.
If you’re using a space heater that runs on kerosene or gas, these heaters can usually last up to 12 hours before needing more fuel. However, it is important not to leave them running overnight due to safety concerns and because they produce air pollutants when burning fuel.
Each type of electric space heater has different wattage. Therefore, always make sure that your heating appliance matches the amperage rating for your circuit breaker box.
If you are unsure whether there is enough capacity available on your electrical panel, call an electrician as soon as possible! They will have all the necessary tools, so they don’t need any additional trips to your home.
Reasons Why Leaving a Space Heater On Is a Bad Idea
There are several reasons why leaving your space heater on can be a bad idea. These reasons include:
- Risk of fire – space heaters can cause fire if left unattended. This includes trees or other plants that are near an outside space heater. It’s best to turn off any heaters after using them for safety purposes, and so you don’t risk a potentially dangerous situation arising from a carelessly used machine.
- The fact that these items burn easily means there’s little time before your home catches on fire if this happens too often, while something like this isn’t turned off quickly enough each time you use one in such areas as well. For example, even small appliances have been known to cause problems when they’re not used carefully, where some people might try leaving pet birds inside cages near such heaters.
- Risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is another reason why you should not leave your heater on for too long without constantly monitoring the area around it while. This happens to be especially important when using a space heater in an enclosed place like a garage or other rooms where more than one person could suffer from breathing problems if it’s poorly used enough.
- Risk of causing an electrical fire – This is one of the worst possible things that could happen when you leave a space heater turned on without cutting off its power supply if this happens too often. Some people have even suffered from horrible fires because they didn’t know how to use these items correctly enough, and it has caused them so much harm in return.
- Increase in your energy bills – If you leave a space heater on for too long, it will use more electricity than necessary, which means that this could cause an increase of up to 200% in your monthly electric bill.
Do Space Heaters Use a Lot of Electricity?
Yes, space heaters generally use a lot of electricity. The average cost per year to run an electric space heater is about $100 or more. However, many users turn off their space heaters when they leave for work or school to save on energy costs. Therefore, the actual cost of running a space heater depends on how long it is left on and if you turn it off when you leave.
Space heaters use a lot of electricity because they need to create enough heat for the room. This is why many users turn off their space heater when they leave the house to save energy costs and avoid unnecessary usage. However, if you’re only gone for short periods or it’s freezing outside, then leaving your space heater on while you are out may be necessary.
You can also reduce your electric bill by using less expensive settings on your space heater (e.g., low instead of high). If you choose to keep your unit running throughout most days or nights, make sure that it has automatic shutoff features – this way, there will be no accidents! In addition, remember not to overuse extension cords as these can pose a fire hazard.
Safety When Using Space Heaters
There are various ways you can stay safe while using space heaters. These include:
Ensuring there is proper ventilation in the room. This is done to reduce any chances of carbon monoxide poisoning or the build-up of fumes and heat, which may cause a fire.
Not using the space heaters in bathrooms or garages may lead to a risk of electrical shock.
You should never place clothing over the heater nor use an extension cord with it. This is because you can easily cause fires this way, and the space heater will not work properly either.
Make sure not to place anything on top of the heater, as this will block the airflow needed to function properly. You should avoid flammable materials such as curtains too close by either.
Avoid using electrical appliances near water or outdoors. This is also the case if you use them in a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room where they could easily become wet. It’s important to use space heaters in dry areas and away from any water source to ensure safety.
Ensure that the product has been approved by an independent testing laboratory such as ETL or Intertek’s UL Label (for the US). ENEC (Europe) is another popular label used for products tested within Europe. For other countries, please refer to local authorities for their list of recognized certification marks.
You should never place clothing over the heater nor use an extension cord with it. This is because you can easily cause fires or negatively affect the performance of your space heater.
How to Save Money When Using Space Heaters
If you’re afraid of the costs that come with using a space heater, rest assured you’re not alone. These appliances can be costly, but the good news is that there are various ways you can limit those costs.
The first way to save money on space heaters is by purchasing a model that has an automatic shutoff feature. This will ensure that you don’t have the heater running all day.
When it’s been idling for too long, this appliance can start to get hot and cause fires or other accidents; with an auto turn-off feature, your risk of injury goes down as well as your electricity bill.
Another benefit of having a heat pump equipped with an “auto” setting is that it won’t run so frequently in unoccupied rooms where no one is present. As previously mentioned, these appliances are costly when used excessively throughout the day.
If you’re heating more than just yourself ( perhaps even your pet!), then it may be time to invest in a larger heat pump system that can accommodate more people/pets.
If you’re low on funds and cannot afford an automatic space heater, don’t worry! There are still ways for you to save money with your current heaters. For example, if it’s cold outside but warm inside the house, consider shutting off the central heating unit when no one is home (this way, you’ll avoid wasting energy).
Also, try not to run multiple appliances at once – instead of using two different types of ovens or washing machines simultaneously, use one at a time until it’s done being used for laundry; this will help lower your electricity bill.
Lastly, make sure you read through all instructions before using a space heater. You may set the thermostat at a lower temperature than you might typically do or turn on an “auto” setting that will help conserve energy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, space heaters use a lot of electricity, which means you should not leave them on for too long. However, you can reduce your electric bill by using low settings on your space heater or only keeping it running when necessary. This will significantly help you save on energy costs.