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Winter is here and boy is it cold.
During the winter, especially if you live in a really cold climate, your home or apartment heating system might not be able to keep up.
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Home heating systems are usually built pretty well, but once those temperatures reach minus double digits, many of them just can’t cut muster.
That’s why many people use space heaters to keep toasty warm, whether infrared, heating coil, or hot water space heaters.
Space heaters can work wonders, and the good ones really make up for the slack your home heating system can’t pick up. Space heaters are convenient after all; just plug them in, set the temperature, and sit back as they create a warm, cozy environment.
However, this is not to say that space heaters don’t come with issues related to electrical and fire hazards. When not properly used, a space heater can be quite dangerous, especially when it comes to plugging it in. So, can you plug a space heater into a power strip?
Can I Plug a Space Heater Into a Power Strip?
If you are tight on the number of electrical outlets in your home, you probably have some power strips and power bars floating around. After all, they can come in quite handy, because a power strip turns a single wall plug into 4, 5, 6, or even more plugs. It’s quite convenient if you want to plug in your TV, Roku box, PlayStation, and sound system all in the same place.
However, those electrical items don’t take up nearly as much power as a space heater. When it comes down to it, space heaters consume a whole lot of wattage to run.
This is true even for the most energy-efficient models. It takes a whole lot of juice to heat the elements, keep them that way, and pump the warm air around.
The fact of the matter is that power strips just are not designed to handle that kind of power flow, especially if you have more appliances and items plugged into that same power strip. Space heaters suck up a whole lot of power out of the system, and generally speaking, it’s more current than any power strip can handle.
The result is that the power strip is going to overheat, and not just a little bit. Just google “space heater + power strip,” and you will see what we meant.
The internet is full of images and stories of people who managed to either burn down a section of their home, or at the very least, turn their power strip into a black and molten pile of plastic, due to having a space heater plugged into it.
Some space heaters take up so much power that they can even overheat and cause issues when plugged right into the wall. These things can be quite dangerous, especially if it is very cold out, if you have it set to a high temperature, and if it runs for a very long time.
Space heaters themselves can overheat, but even worse, the power strips usually always overheat after a certain amount of time. It just isn’t safe and power strips are not cut out for it. You have to plug the space heater into the wall directly.
However, even doing this can cause issues. Did you know that in the US, space heaters account for nearly half of all home heating fires? Never have a space heater plugged into the same wall outlet as other appliances.
It is also recommended that you keep the space heater running on low, especially if you plan to have it running for hours on end.
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, no, you cannot plug a space heater into a power strip; neither the space heater nor the power strip is going to be able to handle it. Both of these things can overheat, short out, and cause fires.
When all is said and done, don’t ever plug your space heater into any kind of power strip, power bar, or multiple outlet extension. Make sure to plug it right into the wall, and don’t plug any other electrical appliance into that same outlet.