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How to use a space heater safely, and when you need an electrician

Plug an electric space heater straight into a wall outlet, never into an extension cord or power strip1. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away2. Turn the heater off when you leave the room or go to bed2.

These tips come from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Fire Administration. So do the steps below; a few come from a CPSC staff checklist. After the steps: when to call an electrician (like for a hot outlet), and when to call a repair person instead (like for a hot heater cord or plug).

Smoke or carbon monoxide (CO) alarm going off? Don't ignore it. Get outside right away and call 911.3

Using a space heater safely, step by step

  1. Check www.cpsc.gov/recalls to see if your heater has been recalled. If it has, stop using it right away and contact the company that recalled it.1
  2. Make sure the heater has the seal of a nationally recognized testing lab. If it doesn't, replace it.4,5
  3. Make sure it has a tip-over shut-off: if the heater tips over, it shuts off. Even then, it's better to be sure the heater is stable.4,5
  4. Check the cord. If it is cracked, damaged or loose, replace the heater.6
  5. Set the heater on a solid, level surface where it won't get knocked over, out of the way of foot traffic.4,3,5
  6. Children, pets and even blowing curtains can knock a heater over. Pay attention to children and pets near it.5,3
  7. Keep all sides of the heater at least 3 feet from anything that can burn: furniture, beds and bedding, clothes, curtains and papers. Check that nothing could fall or lean onto it.7,1,2,5
  8. Keep it away from water. Never touch it if you are wet.7
  9. Plug it straight into a wall outlet. Never use an extension cord or a power strip. Push the plug all the way in.1,3,6
  10. Don't plug anything else into the same circuit as the heater. That can cause overheating.4
  11. Don't run the cord under a rug or carpet.3
  12. Turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed. Never leave it running unattended or while you sleep.2,7,1
  13. Make sure your smoke alarms work. Put them inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Put carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas too. Test all your alarms every month.8,1
  14. Does your heater burn fuel? Never refuel it while it's in use. Turn it off and let it cool first. If it burns kerosene, use only the proper fuel, and refuel it outside.1,4

When it's a job for a pro

  • Any part of a wall outlet is hot. Stop using it and contact a certified electrician.7,5
  • A wall outlet feels warm instead of cool to the touch. Make sure it doesn't have too much plugged into it, and stop using it until an electrician checks it.5
  • Plugs fit loosely in a wall outlet. Loose plugs can cause overheating and fires. Have the outlet replaced.5,6
  • An outlet or switch isn't working right. Have an electrician check it.5
  • There's no wall outlet where you need the heater. Don't use an extension cord or power strip. Have a new outlet installed where you need it, or move the heater closer to an outlet.1,5
  • The heater's own cord or plug is hot. Disconnect the heater and contact an authorized repair person.7
  • An electric heater gives off odd smells, sparks or smoke when it runs. That often means an electrical problem that could start a fire or give a shock. Have it repaired, or buy a new one with the seal of a nationally recognized testing lab.5
  • Get more than one written estimate. Each should describe the work, the materials, the finish date and the price.9
  • CrewButton doesn't check licenses. Before you hire, check the license with your state or county government, and ask for proof of insurance.9

Why it matters

  • The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that from 2020 to 2022, portable heaters, including electric space heaters, were involved in an average of 1,600 fires a year. Those fires led to an average of 70 deaths and 150 injuries a year.1
  • The U.S. Fire Administration says that in 2017–2019, portable heater fires were only 3% of home heating fires each year, but they were 41% of the deadly heating fires in homes.2
  • Some heaters can make enough heat to set nearby things on fire, a CPSC staff checklist says.5

Published by CrewButton (Econ Labs, LLC, Addison, Texas). Drafted with AI (Claude) from the sources below. Facts were checked against their sources by AI, and the page was approved by CrewButton's founder on . First published . Updated . Last reviewed .

Sources

  1. Keep Warm and Safe This Winter: Tips for Using Generators, Furnaces and Space Heaters. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (2026-01-23). Read 2026-11-07.
  2. Heating Fire Safety. U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA) (last reviewed 2023-05-04). Read 2026-11-07.
  3. CPSC Issues Winter Weather Safety Tips to Prevent Fires and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (2026-03-16). Read 2026-11-07.
  4. Heater Fire Safety (handout card). U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA). Read 2026-11-07.
  5. Home Electrical Safety Checklist: Keeping You and Your Family Safe, Room-by-Room (publication 513). U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (staff) (July 2008). Read 2026-11-07.
  6. Appliance and Electrical Fire Safety. U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA) (last reviewed 2023-05-04). Read 2026-11-07.
  7. 7 Highly Effective Portable Heater Safety Habits (Neighborhood Safety Network flyer NSN 15-11). U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Read 2026-11-07.
  8. Smoke Alarms. U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA) (last reviewed 2026-10-13). Read 2026-11-07.
  9. How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam. U.S. Federal Trade Commission (Consumer Advice) (July 2022). Read 2026-11-07.