The first cold nights are here, and the space heater comes out of the closet. It warms a room fast, but it’s also one of the hungriest devices in the house and a leading cause of winter home fires. More and more households are trying a different approach: instead of heating the whole room, they heat the person. Here’s how it works.
In short
- The problem: a typical space heater draws about 1,500 watts.
- The alternative: heat yourself, not the room: heated throws, mattress pads, layers.
- Why it works: these use a fraction of the power and warm you directly.
- Safety first: if you keep a space heater, follow the 3-foot rule.
Why space heaters cost so much
A typical portable space heater uses about 1,500 watts. According to a utility guide from Marshfield Utilities, that’s roughly 13 cents an hour at their rate, or more than $90 a month if it ran around the clock. Your cost depends on your electricity rate, but the logic is the same everywhere: a space heater heats the air of a whole room, much of which escapes through windows, doors and walls.
There’s also a safety issue. According to NFPA data reported by Occupational Health & Safety, space heaters were involved in 43% of U.S. home heating fires and 85% of the deaths in those fires between 2011 and 2015.
The alternative: heat the person, not the room
The idea is simple: when you sit on the couch or go to bed, you don’t need the whole room at 72°F. You need to be warm.
- A heated throw or blanket: it warms you directly while you watch TV or read, and typically draws a fraction of a space heater’s power. Check the wattage on the label.
- A heated mattress pad: turn it on 20 minutes before bed, then lower it or switch it off with the timer.
- Layers that work: wool socks, a fleece, slippers. Cold feet make the whole body feel cold.
- A warm spot: a rug on a cold floor, curtains closed at night, drafts blocked under the door.
Many households combine this with a slightly lower thermostat, as we explained with the new temperature to keep at home.
If you keep your space heater
- Keep it at least 3 feet from anything that can burn: curtains, bedding, furniture, clothes.
- Plug it directly into the wall, never into an extension cord or a power strip.
- Choose a model with tip-over and overheat protection.
- Never leave it running when you leave the room or go to sleep.
The limit
Heated blankets and pads have their own rules: follow the manufacturer’s instructions, don’t fold them while on, and replace old or damaged ones. They’re not for infants or people who can’t feel heat properly. And personal heating doesn’t replace a working heating system in a very cold home.
More winter safety: an electrician explains the room where you should never plug a power strip, and firefighters have their own advice about the appliance to unplug before bed.
A warm throw, wool socks and the space heater off at night. That’s the trick.
