Can You Plug a Space Heater into a Surge Protector?

Space heaters are a popular choice for warming up rooms or supplementing central heating during colder months. However, connecting a space heater to a surge protector can be risky and unsafe.

It’s important to know the potential dangers and safety concerns of this setup to ensure your safety when using a space heater.

In this article, we’ll cover different types of space heaters, the determining process for selecting the right one, influencing factors, and maintenance tips.

Can You Plug a Space Heater into a Surge Protector?

Connecting a space heater to a surge protector is not recommended due to various risks and safety concerns. A surge protector can only be safely used if the space heater’s power rating is compatible with the surge protector’s rating.

Space heaters typically use 1500 watts of electricity, which is more than the maximum load that most surge protectors can handle.

Plugging a space heater into a surge protector can overload the circuit and cause the surge protector to overheat, melt, or catch fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires in the U.S., and space heaters account for 43% of these fires.

The NFPA also reports that 53% of home heating fire deaths were caused by heating equipment that was too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses, or bedding.

Plugging a space heater into a surge protector can increase the risk of these fires by creating more flammable materials around the heater.

Moreover, plugging a space heater into a surge protector can also damage your space heater and reduce its performance.

Space heaters are not sensitive devices that need protection from power surges, unlike computers or TVs.

They have resistance heating elements that can withstand voltage fluctuations and power spikes.

However, if you plug them into a surge protector that is not compatible with their power requirements, you can cause them to malfunction or break down.

Therefore, it is best to plug your space heater directly into a wall outlet that is properly grounded and has enough capacity to handle the heater’s power consumption.

You should also avoid using extension cords or power strips with your space heater, as they can also pose fire hazards and electrical problems.

Understanding Surge Protectors

Before we go into the details of how to use a space heater safely and efficiently, let’s first understand what surge protectors are and how they work.

What is a Surge Protector?

A surge protector is an electrical device that protects your appliances and electronics from power surges and spikes.

A power surge is a sudden increase in voltage that lasts for a short period of time, usually caused by lightning strikes, faulty wiring, or grid switching.

A power spike is a more extreme form of power surge that lasts for an even shorter time, usually caused by short circuits or equipment failures.

Power surges and spikes can damage your devices by frying their internal components or causing them to overheat.

A surge protector prevents this by diverting the excess voltage to the ground wire or absorbing it with internal components called metal oxide varistors (MOVs).

MOVs are semiconductors that change their resistance depending on the voltage level.

When the voltage is normal, they have high resistance and allow the current to flow normally.

When the voltage is too high, they have low resistance and divert or dissipate the excess current.

Benefits of Surge Protectors

Surge protectors offer several benefits for your appliances and electronics, such as:

• Protecting them from power surges and spikes that can damage their circuits or cause fires.
• Extending their lifespan by reducing the wear and tear caused by voltage fluctuations.
• Saving energy by preventing power wastage and improving efficiency.
• Providing convenience by offering multiple outlets for plugging in different devices.
• Offering additional features such as USB ports, timers, switches, indicators, filters, etc.

Types of Surge Protectors

There are different types of surge protectors available in the market, depending on their design, features, and performance. Some of the common types are:

Standard

These are the most basic and common type of surge protectors that offer basic protection from power surges and spikes.

They usually have multiple outlets with different ratings and configurations. They are suitable for low-power devices such as lamps, chargers, radios, etc.

Heavy-Duty

These are more advanced and durable type of surge protectors that offer higher protection from power surges and spikes.

They usually have higher joule ratings (a measure of how much energy they can absorb), longer cords, metal casings, etc.

They are suitable for high-power devices such as computers, TVs, refrigerators, etc.

Specialized for Heaters

These are rare and specialized type of surge protectors that are designed specifically for space heaters and other heating devices.

They usually have higher wattage ratings (a measure of how much power they can handle), thermal fuses, temperature sensors, etc.

They are suitable for space heaters that have lower power consumption and do not generate too much heat.

The Demand of Space Heaters on Electrical Systems

Power Consumption of Space Heaters

Space heaters use electricity to generate heat by passing current through resistance heating elements, such as ceramic plates or metal coils.

The amount of electricity they use depends on their type, size, settings, and efficiency.

Different types of space heaters have different power consumption levels.

For example, infrared heaters use less electricity than fan-forced heaters, because they heat objects directly rather than the air.

Similarly, oil-filled heaters use less electricity than convection heaters, because they retain heat longer and cycle on and off less frequently.

The size of the space heater also affects its power consumption. Larger space heaters have more heating elements and can heat up larger areas faster, but they also use more electricity.

Smaller space heaters have fewer heating elements and can heat up smaller areas slower, but they also use less electricity.

The settings of the space heater also affect its power consumption. Most space heaters have adjustable thermostats and multiple heat settings that allow you to control the temperature and output of the heater.

Higher settings produce more heat and use more electricity, while lower settings produce less heat and use less electricity.

The efficiency of the space heater also affects its power consumption. Efficiency is the ratio of heat output to electricity input.

The higher the efficiency, the more heat you get for the same amount of electricity. The lower the efficiency, the less heat you get for the same amount of electricity. Efficiency depends on several factors, such as the design, quality, age, and maintenance of the heater.

The average power consumption of space heaters is around 1500 watts (W), which is equivalent to 1.5 kilowatts (kW).

However, some space heaters can use as little as 200 W or as much as 3000 W, depending on their type, size, settings, and efficiency.

How Space Heaters Affect Circuit Loads

Space heaters can affect your circuit loads by drawing a lot of current from your electrical system.

Circuit loads are the amount of current that flows through a circuit at any given time. Current is measured in amperes (A) or amps for short.

Every circuit in your home has a maximum load capacity that it can handle safely without tripping the circuit breaker or blowing a fuse.

This capacity is usually between 15 A to 20 A for standard household circuits.

If you exceed this capacity by plugging in too many devices or using high-power devices such as space heaters, you can overload the circuit and cause it to shut down or catch fire.

To avoid overloading your circuits, you need to know how much current your space heater draws from your electrical system.

You can calculate this by dividing its power consumption (in watts) by the voltage (in volts) of your outlet.

For example, if you have a 1500 W space heater plugged into a 120 V outlet, it will draw 12.5 A of current (1500 W / 120 V = 12.5 A).

This means that if you plug your space heater into a circuit that has a 15 A capacity, you will already use up 83% of its load (12.5 A / 15 A = 0.83).

This leaves very little room for other devices on the same circuit, such as lights, fans, chargers, etc.

If you plug in another device that draws more than 2.5 A of current (15 A – 12.5 A = 2.5 A), you will overload the circuit and trip the breaker or blow the fuse.

Therefore, it is best to plug your space heater into a dedicated circuit that has no other devices on it or very few low-power devices on it.

You should also avoid using extension cords or power strips with your space heater, as they can also increase the risk of overloading your circuits.

Risks and Concerns of Plugging a Space Heater into a Surge Protector

Safety Concerns

One of the main risks and concerns of plugging a space heater into a surge protector is safety. As we have mentioned before, most surge protectors are not designed to handle the high power demand and heat output of space heaters.

This can cause the surge protector to overheat, melt, or catch fire, which can in turn ignite nearby flammable materials such as curtains, carpets, furniture, etc.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were an estimated 25,000 residential fires and 300 deaths caused by space heaters each year from 2014 to 2018.

Of these, 6% of the fires and 4% of the deaths were attributed to electrical failures or malfunctions, which could include using surge protectors with space heaters.

Compatibility Issues

Another risk and concern of plugging a space heater into a surge protector is compatibility.

As we have mentioned before, space heaters are not sensitive devices that need protection from power surges, unlike computers or TVs.

They have resistance heating elements that can withstand voltage fluctuations and power spikes.

However, if you plug them into a surge protector that is not compatible with their power requirements, you can cause them to malfunction or break down.

One of the compatibility issues that can arise is the wattage rating of the surge protector.

The wattage rating is the maximum amount of power that the surge protector can handle safely without overheating or failing.

If you plug a space heater that has a higher wattage than the surge protector into it, you can overload the surge protector and cause it to fail.

Another compatibility issue that can arise is the type of surge protector.

As we have seen above, there are different types of surge protectors available in the market, depending on their design, features, and performance.

Some of them are more suitable for space heaters than others. For example, heavy-duty surge protectors have higher joule ratings and metal casings that can offer better protection and durability for high-power devices such as space heaters.

On the other hand, standard surge protectors have lower joule ratings and plastic casings that can offer less protection and durability for high-power devices such as space heaters.

Therefore, it is important to check the type and wattage rating of your surge protector before plugging your space heater into it.

You should also look for specialized surge protectors that are designed specifically for space heaters and other heating devices.

These surge protectors usually have higher wattage ratings, thermal fuses, temperature sensors, etc., that can provide better compatibility and safety for your space heater.

Guidelines and Best Practices for Using a Space Heater with a Surge Protector

If you still want to use a space heater with a surge protector, despite the risks and concerns that we have discussed above, you should follow some guidelines and best practices to minimize the potential problems and hazards. Here are some of them:

Reading Manufacturer’s Instructions:

The first and foremost thing you should do is read the manufacturer’s instructions that come with your space heater and surge protector.

These instructions will tell you how to use, maintain, and store your devices properly and safely.

They will also tell you what kind of devices you can plug into your surge protector and what kind of outlets you can plug your space heater into.

Selecting the Right Surge Protector:

The second thing you should do is select the right surge protector for your space heater.

You should look for a surge protector that has a higher wattage rating than your space heater, preferably at least 1800 W or more.

You should also look for a heavy-duty or specialized surge protector that has a higher joule rating, metal casing, thermal fuse, temperature sensor, etc., that can offer better protection and durability for your space heater.

Understanding Your Space Heater’s Power Requirements

The third thing you should do is understand your space heater’s power requirements.

You should know how much electricity your space heater uses depending on its type, size, settings, and efficiency.

You should also know how much current your space heater draws from your electrical system depending on the voltage of your outlet.

You should use these information to calculate the circuit load of your space heater and make sure it does not exceed the capacity of your circuit or surge protector.

Regular Monitoring and Maintenance

The fourth thing you should do is monitor and maintain your space heater and surge protector regularly.

You should inspect them for any signs of damage or wear and tear, such as cracks, burns, frays, etc., and replace them if necessary.

You should also clean them from dust and debris that can accumulate over time and affect their performance or safety.

You should also test them periodically to make sure they are working properly and safely.

Proper Placement and Installation

The fifth thing you should do is place and install your space heater and surge protector properly.

You should plug your space heater directly into a wall outlet that is properly grounded and has enough capacity to handle the heater’s power consumption.

You should avoid using extension cords or power strips with your space heater, as they can pose fire hazards and electrical problems.

You should also plug your surge protector into a wall outlet that is close to your space heater and has no other devices on it or very few low-power devices on it.

You should avoid placing your surge protector on the floor, under rugs, or near heat sources, as they can cause overheating or fire.

You should also keep your space heater and surge protector at least three feet away from any flammable materials, such as curtains, carpets, furniture, etc., as they can ignite easily.

Avoiding Daisy-Chaining

The sixth thing you should do is avoid daisy-chaining your space heater and surge protector.

Daisy-chaining is the practice of plugging one surge protector into another surge protector or plugging multiple surge protectors into one outlet.

This can create a dangerous situation where the total power consumption of all the devices exceeds the capacity of the outlet or the surge protectors, causing them to overload and catch fire.

Adhering to Local Regulations and Standards

The seventh thing you should do is adhere to the local regulations and standards that apply to your space heater and surge protector.

Different countries, states, and cities may have different rules and requirements for using electrical devices, especially heating devices.

You should check with your local authorities or consult a licensed electrician before using your space heater and surge protector to make sure you are complying with the law and following the best practices.

FAQs About Plugging a Space Heater into a Surge Protector

Final Words

In a nutshell, plugging a space heater into a surge protector isn’t recommended due to safety risks and potential overloads.

By understanding power requirements, choosing the right surge protector, and adhering to guidelines, you can enhance safety and prevent hazards.

Stay informed and ensure your space heating setup is optimized for both comfort and security.