Space Heater Safety While You Wait for Repairs

When your furnace or boiler fails in the middle of a Chicago winter, a space heater can be the difference between a miserable night and a manageable one. But space heaters are also involved in a significant share of home heating fires, often because they are placed too close to something that can burn or left running unattended. Used carefully, an electric space heater is a reasonable short-term solution while you wait for repairs.

This guide covers how to choose a safe heater, where to place it, electrical safety, carbon monoxide risks and the heat sources you should never use indoors. If you are waiting for heat to be restored, also see no heat at night: safe steps until help arrives.

Choose the Right Space Heater

Look for a heater with:

• Tip-over shutoff that turns the heater off if it is knocked over.
• Overheat protection that shuts it off if internal components get too hot.
• A certification mark from a recognized testing laboratory.
• A cool-touch exterior, especially if children or pets are present.
• A thermostat so it cycles instead of running at full power constantly.
• A sturdy, stable base.

Older heaters without these features should be replaced. Check cords and plugs for damage before every season.

Types of Electric Space Heaters

• Fan-forced ceramic heaters warm a room quickly and are compact.
• Oil-filled radiator heaters heat more slowly but provide steady, quiet heat and stay warm after cycling off. Their surfaces get hot.
• Radiant or infrared heaters warm people and objects directly in front of them.

All of them draw a lot of electricity, often close to the limit of a standard household circuit.

The 3-Foot Rule

Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn: bedding, mattresses, sofas, curtains, clothing, rugs, paper, toys and holiday decorations. Many space heater fires start when something is too close. Create a three-foot kid-free and pet-free zone around the heater as well.

Placement Tips

• Place the heater on a hard, level, nonflammable surface, such as a floor. Do not place it on furniture, carpets with long pile, or tables where it can fall.
• Keep it out of walkways where people can trip over it or the cord.
• Do not use it in bathrooms or other damp areas unless it is specifically designed for that.
• Do not run the cord under rugs or furniture, where it can overheat or be damaged.
• Keep it away from water and spills.

Electrical Safety

Space heaters draw much more power than most household devices. To reduce fire risk:

• Plug directly into a wall outlet. Do not use extension cords or power strips, which can overheat.
• Use one heater per circuit. Running two heaters, or a heater plus a microwave or hair dryer on the same circuit, can trip breakers or overheat wiring.
• Check the plug and outlet. If the plug or outlet feels hot, turn the heater off. A loose or worn outlet can overheat.
• Be cautious in older homes. Many older Chicago buildings have aging wiring. If lights dim or breakers trip when the heater runs, the circuit may be overloaded.

Never Leave It Unattended

Turn space heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep. If you must use one in a bedroom, choose a model with all safety features, keep it well away from the bed and anything flammable, and make sure smoke alarms are working. Many safety experts recommend warming the bedroom before bed and then turning the heater off, using blankets for the rest of the night.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Test smoke alarms before relying on space heaters. Electric heaters do not produce carbon monoxide, but if your heat is out because of a furnace or boiler problem, or if you have other gas appliances, working CO alarms are essential. Illinois law requires CO alarms within 15 feet of every sleeping room in covered homes. See our carbon monoxide safety guide.

Fuel-Burning Heaters

Kerosene, propane and other fuel-burning portable heaters burn fuel indoors, which can produce carbon monoxide and pose fire and burn risks. Only use fuel-burning heaters that are specifically designed and approved for indoor use, follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly, provide the required ventilation, use the correct fuel, and never refuel a hot heater indoors. Many safety experts recommend sticking with electric heaters indoors instead. Check local rules as well, since some fuel-burning heaters may be restricted.

Never Use These for Heat

• Gas ovens or stovetops.
• Charcoal or gas grills.
• Camp stoves.
• Outdoor patio heaters.
• Portable generators indoors, in garages or near windows.
• Clothes dryers or hair dryers as room heaters.

These can cause carbon monoxide poisoning or fires. Every winter, people are harmed by using them for heat during outages and furnace failures.

Children, Pets and Older Adults

• Choose cool-touch models where children or pets are present.
• Keep heaters where they cannot be knocked over by playing children or curious pets.
• Teach children to stay away from heaters.
• Help older relatives set up heaters safely and check that cords and placement are safe.

Make the Most of Limited Heat

• Heat one room and close the door.
• Choose an interior room with fewer windows.
• Close curtains and block drafts under doors.
• Dress in layers and use blankets.
• Protect pipes elsewhere in the home by opening cabinet doors and letting faucets drip.

Space Heaters and Chicago Rentals

If you rent, your landlord is responsible for providing heat during heat season, and the City states that portable space heaters do not count toward that requirement. Report heating problems to your landlord promptly and to 311 if heat is not restored. See Chicago heat rules for landlords and tenants.

Space Heaters Are Temporary

A space heater is a stopgap, not a solution. Get your heating system repaired as quickly as possible, especially during extreme cold. If one room is always cold even when the heat works, the problem may be ductwork, radiators, insulation or system balance, and a permanent fix is safer and more efficient than relying on a space heater. Options include duct improvements, bleeding radiators and ductless heat pumps. See our guide on ductless mini-splits.

Signs a Space Heater Should Be Retired

• Frayed, cracked or discolored cords.
• A plug that gets hot or a loose fit in the outlet.
• Scorch marks on the heater or nearby surfaces.
• Strange smells, sparks or buzzing.
• Safety features that no longer work, such as a tip-over switch that does not shut it off.
• Missing certification labels or instructions.

Replacing an aging heater is far cheaper than dealing with a fire.

Energy Costs

Electric space heaters use a lot of electricity. Running one or two continuously can noticeably raise your electric bill, which is another reason to treat them as temporary. Use the thermostat setting on the heater, heat only the room you are using, and close the door to keep the heat in.

Space Heaters in Basements and Garages

People sometimes use space heaters in basements to protect pipes or in garages for workshops. In these spaces, keep heaters away from stored items, chemicals, gasoline, paint and sawdust. Make sure the floor is dry and the heater is plugged into an appropriate outlet. Never leave a heater running unattended in a basement or garage.

Holiday Season Cautions

Heating failures sometimes coincide with the holidays, when homes have more decorations, paper and visitors. Keep space heaters well away from trees, wrapping paper, garlands and gift piles. Make sure guests know where the heater is and that it should not be moved closer to furniture or bedding.

Teach Everyone the Rules

Make sure everyone in the household knows the basic rules: three feet of clearance, plug directly into the wall, turn it off when leaving the room or going to sleep, and keep children and pets away. A heater is only as safe as the way it is used.

Better Than a Space Heater

If you find yourself relying on a space heater every winter for the same cold room, the room needs a permanent solution. Bleeding radiators, adjusting dampers, sealing drafts, adding insulation, extending ductwork or installing a ductless heat pump are all safer and usually more efficient over time. A technician can diagnose why the room stays cold. See our guide on bleeding radiators.

Quick Space Heater Safety Checklist

• Tip-over and overheat shutoff.
• Certified by a recognized testing lab.
• Three feet of clearance on all sides.
• Plugged directly into a wall outlet.
• On a hard, level, nonflammable surface.
• Turned off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Working smoke and CO alarms in the home.
• No fuel-burning heaters unless approved for indoor use.
• No ovens, grills or generators for heat, ever.

Following these rules lets a space heater do its job, keeping one room comfortable for a short time, without adding a new hazard while you wait for your heating system to be repaired.

Get Your Heat Back

Call (312) 638-0812 for furnace repair, boiler repair or emergency HVAC service in neighborhoods including Irving Park, Wicker Park and Edgebrook.