Some electric heaters come with plugs that get hot. These plugs can be unsafe and dangerous if they are not used correctly. If you plug your heater into a power strip, the entire power strip will get hot, and people can touch this without knowing. This poses a fire hazard because of the exposed wires in an unplugged electric heater or power strip.
Is it Normal for a Heater Plug to Get Hot?
Sometimes a plug for an electric heater can get hot. If you have a power strip, the entire power strip will be hot. Plugging your heater into a power strip is unsafe and poses a fire hazard because of exposed wires in an unplugged electric heater or power strip.
It’s never normal for plugs to get extremely hot, so if they do, it may mean that there are some problems with your wiring or plug itself! In this case, you should call an electrician as soon as possible!
You don’t want to continue using appliances that pose such serious safety risks, especially those around kids and pets who could easily touch them without knowing better.
What Does it Mean if a Plug Gets Hot?
Hot plugs are dangerous because they can cause electrical fires. If your electric heater plug is hot, you need to unplug the device immediately and contact an electrician for help with repairs or replace the heating element in your home.
Electric heaters get hot when there’s a problem with them that needs to be fixed. If the plug is hot, it’s a sign that you need to go ahead and turn off your heater. You should also make sure to do this if your device smells funny or anything like that happens.
The other thing that can cause an electric plug to get hot besides something being wrong with the heating element itself has got to be how much power your electrical circuit can handle at once without becoming overloaded.
If there are too many things plugged into one outlet, for instance, it could lead to either of these problems because of overloading. But, on the other hand, there might not even be any problem whatsoever with the equipment where you’re using it at all.
What Causes Space Heater Plug to Get Hot?
The heating element in an electric space heater is similar to that of a hairdryer or any other device which heats up when plugged into the wall.
As electricity flows through it, the current makes its way through wire coils and converts electrical energy into heat energy.
This process creates high temperatures inside the plug and throughout the cord itself.
That’s why you can touch both ends of your electric heater power cord without getting burned. But only for so long before they start making themselves too hot to handle.
Some of the other things that may cause a space heater plug to get hot include:
- Defective appliance
- Overloaded circuit
- Plugged-in appliances nearby, causing interference.
- Overheating due to dust or lint buildup
- A power strip that doesn’t have an on/off switch
Dangers of a Hot Space Heater Plug
The first and most obvious danger of a hot plug is the risk of electrocution. Check the outlet your heater plugs into for any abnormalities, such as scorch marks or discoloration. If you notice something off about the outlet, do not use it to power anything else!
It would likely need to be replaced before you can safely plug your space heater back in again. So even if there are no physical signs that an electrical appliance might pose a threat, we still recommend calling an electrician out to check on it.
After all, having someone make sure everything is safe will never hurt anyone! When using our aluminum heaters (the H-15 and H-20 models), please note that you must only plug them into a GFCI outlet, or else they will not function.
As for the safety of your space heater’s plug itself: there are certain things to look out for when it comes to assessing whether a wire is safe. The first one is the insulation type.
If you cannot tell what material the plastic covering on either side of the cord is made from, this might indicate that it has been worn down through extensive use over time!
In all regions but Canada and Europe, our plugs have two flat prongs which slot directly into their respective outlets. However, most other countries have their type of plug, which is shaped differently.
This would pose too big of an electrocution risk! Fortunately, most common space heaters are compatible with both types of plugs (flat or round). So, the chances are good that you can swap them out and be on your way.
How to Stop a Plug Overheating
The first step in any electrical work is to ensure the circuit breaker or fuse box has been turned off. Then, remove all plastic parts of your appliance (if possible) and see if it’s still hot.
If so, try plugging something like a desk lamp into the same outlet, making noise before turning on the wall switch again.
Finally, call an electrician if this doesn’t help. You don’t want to end up with worse problems than what you started with.
Can You Replace a Plug on a Space Heater?
Yes, you can replace a plug on a space heater. To do so, first, turn off the power to your space heater at its electrical outlet and unplug it from the outlet.
Then use an appropriate screwdriver to remove one or more of the screws that hold in place each side of the metal cover over where the old cord was attached.
Once these screws are removed, slide-out any insulation surrounding wire from inside this area before pulling out all wires connected to your new cord connector, which you will insert into an opening provided for such purpose on each side of this metal covering plate.
After connecting up to three wires with their terminals using insulated tools (e.g., needle-nose pliers). Make sure there is no bare wiring showing anywhere by tucking in any wire strands.
Place the metal cover back on, reattach it with screws removed earlier and then turn power to your space heater back on at its electrical outlet before plugging into an appropriate open one.
How to Replace a Space Heater Plug
- Turn off the breaker to your heater. You should always do this before working on it as a safety precaution.
- If you cannot locate your circuit breaker box – check with your landlord or electrician.
- Take off the old plug. It should pull right out, but if it is stuck, you can also use a screwdriver to loosen any screws around its base holding it in place.
- Inspect your wires for damage and wear – especially at the ends where they fit into the plug. If there are worn or frayed spots on them, cut those pieces of wire back, so they don’t expose any copper or other material inside their plastic insulation. Also, make sure all exposed areas have been covered with electrical tape.
- Do not touch these bare wires ever! Even after taping over them, always treat them as “live” without touching either end directly! You could get shocked by electricity running through them even though no plug is attached.
- Put the new plugin in its place and attach it with screws or other fasteners, tightening them firmly to make sure they hold tightly against the housing of your heater.
- Otherwise, you could get a shock if your cord gets tugged while still plugged in, especially if this happens when someone else turns on the heat.