A space heater usually turns itself off because its thermostat or overheat protection has tripped. The cause is often a heater too close to a wall or furniture, a dusty element, a circuit overloaded by other devices, or a thermostat set too low.
A space heater can be a convenient way to keep your home warm in the winter. It can also help you heat smaller areas your central heating doesn’t reach.
However, if your space heater won’t stay on consistently, this is a sign that something is wrong with it.
Some of them can be a safety concern, so it is crucial to address the problem as soon as it comes up.
Knowing some causes of a space heater constantly turning off will help you diagnose the issue and keep yourself warm and safe.
Why Does My Space Heater Keep Turning Off?
Space heaters are a great thing to have around the house in winter. However, they can be hazardous if not in good working order.
If your space heater keeps turning off, it means that it has either a malfunction or there is something you are doing that is causing it.
With a good understanding of why this can happen, you can double-check your space heater and keep it running smoothly and safely.
It Is Too Close to a Wall or Furniture
One of the most common answers to “Why does my space heater keep turning off?” is that it is too close to a wall, furniture or a window. The heat has nowhere to go, and the heater can read that as a warm room.
Your space heater may have a built-in thermostat that measures the heat in the room.
If it is close to a wall or furniture, heat can build up around it and trigger the thermostat or overheat protection. The heater could be mistaking this little pocket of heat for the temperature in the entire room.
Try moving the space heater at least three feet from walls, furniture and curtains, onto a flat, hard floor. You can proceed to the next troubleshooting step if it still turns off.
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It is Drawing too Much Power
Some space heaters draw fairly large amounts of power from the circuits in your home.
Depending on how powerful your space heater is, it could trigger the circuit breaker in your home. If you notice that the heater turning off coincides with a tripped breaker, the problem could be that the heater is too powerful.
Space heater power is measured in wattage, most clocking in at about 1,500 watts. A standard 15-amp household circuit supplies 1,800 watts in total (15 amps x 120 volts), so a 1,500-watt heater leaves little room for anything else on the same circuit.
Try plugging the heater into a circuit with nothing else running, or use a lower heat setting. A heater of 750 to 1,000 watts can suit a small room of roughly 75 to 100 square feet, at about 10 watts per square foot.
Some space heaters also have an emergency shut-off that will automatically trigger when they are overheated.
If your heater is plugged into an extension cord, this may cause the shut-off to trigger. Always plug space heaters directly into the wall. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says never to use an extension cord or power strip with an electric space heater.
The Element is Dusty
If your space heater has a metal or ceramic heating element, it may have gotten dusty.
When the heating element in your space heater gets dusty, it can heat up too quickly or get too hot. This may trigger the automatic shut-off mechanism.
When the heater is cool, unplug it and use a vacuum with a brush attachment or a soft dry brush to remove dust from the grille and element. Never put water or a wet cloth on a heating element, and check your manual for cleaning steps.
While doing that, clean out the reflective surface around the element. This will keep excess dust from settling on the element in the future.
The Thermostat is too Low
In some cases, the answer to “Why does my space heater keep turning off?” can be as simple as the thermostat being set too low.
Some oil-filled space heaters have thermostats on the side that control the heat they put out. If this thermostat is set too low, the heater will turn off when the temperature reaches the setting.
It is possible that the thermostat was bumped or changed inadvertently.
Look at the temperature that the heater is set to. If it is lower than 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the chances are good that you won’t feel much warmth coming out of the heater.
Try turning the thermostat up and see if that solves the issue. If not, it could be a mechanical or electronic issue with the heater itself. Stop using it, and replace it rather than keep running a heater that shuts off by itself.
Pick the appliance or type its watts, set the hours and your state: the cost per hour, per night and per month, before you buy.
Final Thoughts
If your space heater keeps turning off, there could be several reasons. Depending on the type of heater you have, the solution can be a simple fix.
By knowing why this happens and how you can fix it, you can keep your home warm and yourself safe.
Copy and content writer from the Bay Area of California. Before writing, Michael worked in the construction trade as a general contractor.
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