Can You Leave a Space Heater on All Night? Can You Sleep with Heater On?

Can you leave a space heater on all night

According to a 2016 report by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), about 54% of heater-related home fire incidents between 2014 and 2018 were caused by heating equipment that homeowners placed too close to highly flammable materials.

This troubling statistic has often left many wondering how safe one can be with heating equipment such as a space heater.

Winter can be beautiful but for the blistering chill that comes with it. The fiercest of them leave no room for escape; the cold just finds its way into your home, either through ventilation or spaces or by simply icing the exterior of your home, causing the interior to absorb the cold.

With winter barely weeks away, homeowners are beginning to wonder how best they can deploy their space heaters and whether it is safe to leave it on all night, especially since 38% of all home fires occur between 8 p.m and 8 a.m?

Can You Leave a Space Heater on All Night?

This usually depends on the type of space heater you have. While we will not advise you to leave a propane space heater or electric space heater on all night due to vulnerable design.

Other types like oil heaters, ceramic heaters and even infrared heaters may be left on as long as they are modern units with built-in safety features.

There are some electric units with modern features like auto-timer, tip-over protection and auto-shutoff in case of overheating, which make them useful overnight as well.

A quality modern space heater is likely to have such features to keep the unit and members of your household safe.

Even with such features, it’s important to keep the heater away from flammable materials to prevent any fire accident. Asides from fire accidents, energy cost is another factor that you need to consider.

Leaving your electric space heater on all night will attract huge power bills that may put a strain on your finances.

Can You Sleep with Space Heaters On?

Yes, you can. This is if the heater is any of ceramic, oil or infrared units with trusted safety features and certifications.

But beyond that, you must’ve done your own part as well to ensure it works safely throughout the night. It is one thing to leave your space heater on all night, but a different thing entirely to sleep while you do.

If you must, ensure you set the unit’s auto-timer to only leave it on for a specific period of time and shut down afterwards. You may set the timer at four hours, so the heater stays on and heats up the space for four hours before going off.

Another thing you must do is to place the unit on the least likely place it can start a fire. If it’s a standalone unit, put it on the floor, away from fabrics like your window cotton or drapings, table cloth, chairs, and so on.

You must also be sure to turn on safety features for extra protection. If you’ve noticed a constant surge in your home or fluctuating currents, do NOT sleep with your electric space heaters on. A surge can occur, causing your heater’s plug to heat up and start a fire.

If you own a propane space heater, do NOT leave it on when you sleep. It is too dangerous because you can have gas leaks, overheating and other situations you won’t be able to control in your sleep. It is like leaving a gas cooker on all night.

List of Top 5 Safe Space Heaters to Use All Night

If you are in hurry and looking for the best options to purchase a safe space heater to use all night, then, please check below.

What Type of Heaters Are Best to Use Overnight?

1. Ceramic Heater

A ceramic heater provides proper insulation that ensures only the interior of the unit heats up while the exterior parts remain cool, preventing any form of fire outbreak. This also makes the heater safe to leave on all night and to touch as well.

2. Oil Heater

Oil heaters are considered the safest on the market. This is because it is enclosed in a metal body that is not flammable. It is unlikely to overheat or cause a fire in your home.

3. Infrared Heater

This is another pretty safe heater that you can leave on overnight. It is a natural method of heating that uses warm rays to heat up people and objects, rather than any flammable energy source. It is more or less like sunlight, so you don’t have anything to worry about.

Guide To Select the Best Space Heater to Use All Night

1. Type of Space Heater

As mentioned in the above section, Ceramic heaters, Oil Heaters and Infrared heaters are proved to be safe to use all night.

Asides from the heaters listed above, the best heaters for overnight use are those modern units with the required safety features to protect you and your loved ones. To use a heater overnight, be sure it is equipped with the following;

2. Auto Timer

You need to be able to determine how long your heater stays on after you’ve gone to bed. This is crucial because the longer the unit stays on, the higher the likelihood of accidents.

Look out for heaters with an auto-timer for up to 8 hours at least. This can help you regulate your heater even when you’re asleep and ensure it doesn’t stay on longer than you desire.

3. Auto-Shut off

Heaters naturally heat up. As they generate heat for your room, their interior also tends to heat up. When overheating occurs, it can lead to a fire outbreak.

This is why you should buy a space heater with an auto-shut-off feature. This automatically shuts down the unit when it begins to overheat and prevents the likelihood of fire accidents in your home.

4. Tip-Over Protection

Another feature to look out for is tip-over protection. If you have little ones or pets who roam at night, it is important that your unit has tip-over protection to ensure it turns off automatically when it is knocked over.

Some units have a 30-degree tip-over protection feature, others have higher or lower tip levels. Just be sure you’re protected.

5. Adjustable Thermostat

If you’re one to leave your space heater on all night, an adjustable thermostat is a no-brainer. This will not only help you preserve energy and cost cut, but will also prevent the risk of fire accidents.

An adjustable thermostat works by ensuring the heater only runs when the figure falls below your settings. This will allow for sufficient rest time, which will enable cooling to take place, as well as cut energy costs.

6. Non-heat Wires

Some unscrupulous manufacturers produce electric space heaters with very inferior wires. When connected and left running for too long, this wire can begin to fail and melt, causing burns in your unit or damaging the outlet it is plugged in.

Furthermore, an inferior wire can start a fire during a surge, posing a threat to life, property and your entire home. Be sure that the wires are sturdy, large and strong enough and have the required length before you make a purchase.

7. Safety Certifications

The best heaters for overnight use must have also gone through several tests and analysis by reputable safety organizations and deemed safe for use.

The heater you intend to deploy overnight should have labels from bodies like Underwriters Laboratory (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and Intertek (ETL). Such labels tell you the unit has met safety standards.

Top 5 Space Heaters for Overnight Use

1. Heat Storm HS-1500-TT Infrared Heater

Value for Money

If you want a heater that you can put on- placed in the right position- and go to sleep, it is this Heat Storm Infrared heater. Infrared units, more often than not, eliminate the likelihood of a fire outbreak because they do not work like fuel or electricity.

This space heater comes fully equipped and includes a tripod for good installation. Infrared heating technology works by warming up people and objects rather than just heating up the air. It doesn’t heat up the body or produces the kind of heating that can cause a fire indiscriminately.

What’s more, the tripod is sturdy and steady. And even if it is knocked over, the unit has a tip-over protection feature that shuts it off whenever a tilt is sensed.

It is also Weatherproof and produces no harmful fumes. If you desire a safe heating appliance for use overnight, this is one great place to begin.

Benefits

  • Easy to install
  • Can be wall-mounted or installed on a tripod.
  • Near silent operation.
  • Has a carbon filter to eliminate fumes.
  • The cord is long enough for good placement.
  • 5,200 BTU output.
  • Adjustable tripod to suit peculiar needs.

Drawbacks

  • Not a budget product.
  • On/Off button requires care.

2. GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater

Best Price

Portable, powerful, safe. These are three words that easily describe this Electric space heater by GiveBest. It is a great and suitable space heater for overnight use as a result of its amazing safety features that give you great control and protection from accidents.

The body of the unit is designed with ceramics, which is a fire retardant. This means while heating is promoted inside the unit, the outer body remains cool and good for touch.

This also keeps it safe and reduces the likelihood of fire outbreaks when used overnight.

Also, the heater comes with an adjustable thermostat with two heat settings (750W and 1,500W). The thermostat is also a smart device that ensures the heater only runs when the temperature drops below preset levels.

It has the capacity to heat up spaces up to 200 Square feet. There’s an auto-shut-off system to turn the unit off when it begins to overheat.

Other features include tip-over protection, long Lead Cord and quiet operation to support night use.

Benefits

  • Smart thermostat limits the unit’s work rate for efficiency.
  • Ceramic build helps to prevent fire accidents.
  • It is easy to use and maneuver.
  • Great heat output and temperature control.
  • Portable and easy to move around the house when necessary.
  • Auto off feature turns off the unit when  a tilt is noticed.

Drawbacks

  • No timer and oscillation.

3. PELONIS PHTPU1501 Ceramic Tower Indoor Space Heater

Beautiful Design

A truly modern space heating appliance with all the components you need for convenience use at night. There are very few space heating units that come fully equipped as the PELONIS Ceramic Indoor Space Heater.

We’ll begin with the ceramic body which properly insulates the heat inside without heating up the body of the unit. As a flame retardant, you have no worries regarding the fire.

Asides from that, there are several other features that make this unit suitable for use overnight. There’s an 8-hour timer with which you can automatically set when you want your heater to go off.

This unit also has a programmable thermostat with 3 settings, meaning it will only run when temperatures go beyond the preset levels. Other safety features include an overheat protection function and tip-over protection.

All of these are put in place to help prevent accidents and keep you safe even if you decide to run the unit all night. However, be careful not to run electric heaters for too long, as the plugs may heat up a cause a fire.

This unit has a beautiful white exterior which complements your interior decor. It is a standalone unit, and you won’t have a problem using it.

Benefits

  • Beautiful and pleasant look.
  • Has an Eco mode for efficiency.
  • There’s a remote control for convenience.
  • Oscillation helps to distribute heat evenly.
  • 3-second fast heating up to 70° F.
  • Safety features support night use.
  • 1 year warranty.

Drawbacks

  • Coverage area less than 160° F.
  • Quite pricey.

4. Dr Infrared Heater DR-978 Infrared Space Heater

Best for Safety

This is yet another Infrared heating unit that has created a solid image for itself in the industry. It is a portable and compact unit designed to provide much-needed heating and protection.

With 3 heating modes at eco, high and low starting at a regular fan, through 1,200W and ending at 1,500W.

The programmable thermostat makes it worth your investment, as it doesn’t only make the unit energy efficient, but helps you monitor the temperature and only provides heating as needed per time. With this, you’re also able to maintain temperatures between 50 and 86 F.

As far as safety is concerned, this unit is not only safe for use around kids and pets, but also very safe for overnight use. There are no exposed heating elements so contact with flame is very unlikely.

Also, the unit has an auto timer up to 12 hours. It also features a tip-over safety protection function and an overheat auto shut-off feature for added protection.

This gives you a lot of control over your heater even when you’re asleep. What’s more, the unit is UL and cUL certified for safety standards.

Benefits

  • UL and cUL certification is assurance of safety standards.
  • Can cycle on and off to keep temperature consistent.
  • No exposed heating elements.
  • Large blower produces larger but noiseless air volume.
  • Made of quality materials.
  • Very easy to clean.

Drawbacks

  • May put too much pressure on the socket if left on for too long.
  • Not a budget unit.

5. Lasko Ceramic Tower Space Heater

Best for Ease of Use

There’s nothing quite better than owning an appliance that works effortlessly. And if that appliance provides some safety and security, it is one you should cherish. Enters Lasko Ceramic Space Heater.

With the convection heating method, this portable unit quickly heats up small and medium spaces up to 300 Square feet. It doesn’t take up much space due to its compact design.

It is built with self-regulating ceramic material that is flame retardant, so you have no worries concerning a fire outbreak. The unit has a maximum heat power of 1.5 kW.

This unit is quite safe to use at night due to features like an auto-off timer, overheat protection and cool touch housing. This makes the incidence of fire almost non-existent.

Just be sure to set your auto timer and do not leave it on for more than 4 hours if you’ll be going to bed.

Benefits

  • Safe to use at night.
  • Portable and compact.
  • Safe around kids and pets.
  • Affordable and budget friendly.
  • Comes fully assembled.
  • Easy to use digital control display.

Drawbacks

  • Cord not long enough.
  • Plug may heat up after long use.

Comparison of Above Listed Safe Space Heaters to Use All Night

 WattageAuto TimerOverheat ProtectionHeater Type
Heat Storm1,500WNoYesInfrared
GiveBest1,500/750WYesYesCeramic/Electric
PELONIS1,500WYesYesCeramic/Electric
Dr Infrared1,500/1,200WYesYesInfrared
Lasko1,500WYesYesCeramic/Electric

Final Words:

Within the space heating circle, these 5 products reviewed above have made their mark on the space heater market. They represent the unique set of units you can deploy at night and while you sleep.

They have all the required safety features, such as an auto timer, overheat auto shut-off protection, programmable thermostat, fire retardant exterior, and so on. However, you must take precautions when you decide to leave your heater on all night or sleep with the unit on.

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