Space Heater Safety: The Rules That Prevent Winter Fires

Why space heaters get their own page

Heating is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths. US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 37,365 home fires involving heating equipment each year from 2020 to 2024, with an estimated 417 deaths a year. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab) Space heaters and heating stoves were involved in about 30% of those fires but 73% of the deaths. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab) Nearly half (46%) of heating fires happen in December, January and February. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)

The U.S. Fire Administration found the same pattern from another angle: portable heater fires were only 3% of home heating fires from 2017 to 2019, but they accounted for 41% of fatal home heating fires. USFA (source, opens in a new tab) And electric does not mean safe. Two in five deaths in space heater fires involve portable electric space heaters. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)

The space heater rules

1. Three feet of clear space. Keep the heater at least 3 feet from anything that can burn, including people, bedding, curtains and furniture. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
2. Straight into the wall. Plug the heater directly into a wall outlet. Never use an extension cord. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
3. Solid, flat and out of the way. Place it on a solid, flat surface, out of foot traffic, and never where it blocks a way out. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
4. Built-in protection. Choose a heater with a thermostat, overheat protection and an automatic shut-off if it tips over. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
5. A listed heater. Buy one with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
6. A kid-free zone. Keep children and pets out of a 3-foot zone around the heater. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
7. Off when you leave or sleep. Turn it off and unplug it when you leave the room or go to bed. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)

Can you leave a space heater on all night?

No. NFPA's guidance is that space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you go to bed. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab) The U.S. Fire Administration gives the same advice. USFA (source, opens in a new tab)

No extension cords

NFPA says to plug it directly into the wall and never use an extension cord. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)

Kerosene, propane and other fuel-burning heaters

• Use only the fuel the manufacturer specifies. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
• Use kerosene heaters only where the law allows, and refuel them only outdoors after they have cooled. Red Cross (source, opens in a new tab)
• All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, and you should have working CO alarms. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
• If you smell gas near a gas heater, do not light it. Leave the home right away and call the fire department or the gas company from outside. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)

The rest of the heating system

• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources: furnace, fireplace, wood stove, radiator and candles as well. USFA (source, opens in a new tab)
• Never use your oven to heat your home. USFA (source, opens in a new tab)
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month. NFPA (source, opens in a new tab)

Heating with wood? See chimney and wood stove safety.

If a heater catches fire

Frequently asked questions