When the furnace or boiler acts up, a lot of North Jersey homes reach for a space heater. That's fine as a short-term fix, as long as you follow a few basic rules. Fire-safety officials, including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and state fire marshals, repeat them every winter for a reason.
The space heater rules
- Give it 3 feet. Keep space heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn: beds, curtains, couches, clothes, paper, and people.
- Plug it straight into the wall. Don't use an extension cord or power strip, even a heavy-duty one.
- Turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed. Never leave a space heater running unattended or while you sleep.
- Put it on a level, hard surface where people and pets won't knock it over, and away from doorways and walkways.
- Buy a heater that's tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing lab, such as UL.
- Keep kids away. Set up a kid-free zone around the heater.
A space heater is a stopgap, not a heating system
If you're running a space heater every day because a room or the whole house won't stay warm, the real problem is still there. Common causes include a furnace or boiler that keeps shutting off, uneven airflow or blocked returns, air trapped in hot-water radiators, or a system that's simply too old or too small for the house.
- Whole house cold? That's a heating repair call, not a space heater job.
- One room always cold? See why one room is colder than the rest.
- Hot-water radiators cold at the top? They may just need to be bled.
- Heat won't come on at all? On high-efficiency furnaces, a backed-up condensate drain or pump can keep the furnace from starting.
Get the heat fixed, same day
Rescue Plumbing & HVAC offers same-day heating service across North Jersey, 24/7. Our diagnostic visit is $79 and is credited toward the repair, and every job comes with a 1-year parts and labor warranty. If the system needs replacing, we install the new one the next day, guaranteed, when the equipment is in stock. See our furnace services.
- How far should a space heater be from furniture?
- Fire-safety officials recommend keeping space heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn, including beds, curtains, furniture and people.
- Can I plug a space heater into an extension cord?
- No. Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip.
- Is it safe to sleep with a space heater on?
- Fire-safety officials advise turning space heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed.
- Should I use a space heater instead of fixing my furnace?
- Only as a short-term fix. If you rely on a space heater every day, have your heating system checked. Rescue offers same-day heating service with a $79 diagnostic credited toward the repair.