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Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you need to blast the heat throughout your entire house. If you use a space heater properly, you can stay warm without turning on your HVAC system and increasing your energy bills. eca24f3a04c54a33a1337c49a6a9954f 026953a925f8bdb5cff99ff7a6665ffe f5757e01437b179bf59c284e654adbeb

Check out these useful tips on how to place a space heater for optimal warmth and efficiency.

Bedrooms: Keep Warm at Night 

Most adults spend about one-third of their lives sleeping. Make your sleeping time worthwhile by heating up your bedroom efficiently. Using a space heater to warm up your bedroom at night can prevent you from freezing while you sleep.

Try keeping the heater at least three feet away from bed and curtains to prevent fires. You may even want to place your space heater on a timer so it can heat up your room before you go to sleep and shut off while you sleep.

Thanks to the timer, you can wake up to warm blankets without having to keep your space heater on all night. Just ensure you buy a heater with automatic shut-off so it won’t turn on by itself.

Home Offices: Heat Your Workspace 

Working remotely is becoming more popular than ever. If you have an at-home office, you’re likely using it the most during the day. Because of this, heating up your workspace can save you money instead of heating rooms that go unused.

Try putting your heater near your desk or beneath it. Positioning it here will allow you to heat up your immediate workspace without heating your entire home. It’s especially good if you have a home office in your basement or garage where it may be colder than other rooms.

Because these rooms can get so cold, placing a space heater in your workspace can allow you to lower your thermostat without affecting your productivity. Just don’t place any papers or office supplies too close to the heater.

Bathrooms: Stay Toasty 

No one wants to get out of a hot shower into a cold bathroom. Space heaters are great for putting in bathrooms to keep them nice and toasty. Bathrooms are typically colder than the rest of your house due to tile floors and lack of insulation.

However, you want to be extra careful about where you place your space heater in bathrooms. Purchase a heater that is specifically made for bathrooms and has a moisture protection feature.

Position your heater away from your shower or sinks. Because you’re taking these precautions, you’ll be able to relax in your bathroom like it’s your own personal spa. Grab yourself a small ceramic heater for quick bathroom heating.

Living Rooms: Heat Where People Gather 

Your living room is where your family spends most of their time. Heating your living room correctly can benefit your entire household. A lot of traffic flows through this room, so it can be used for many different activities.

Try placing your heater near furniture but out of the way. Because you don’t want to trip over it, this will allow you to heat up where people are sitting without getting in everyone’s way. Corner placements usually work best to heat up the entire room.

Because living rooms are used for so many activities, placing your space heater here can allow you to heat up rooms your family spends time in without overheating your bedrooms or kitchens. Just buy a heater with tip-over protection if you have children or pets.

Basements/ Finished Lower Levels: Heat Large Spaces 

Heat rises, so your basement or finished lower levels of your home will probably always be colder than other floors. If you have finished basements that you use as hangout areas or rent out as bedrooms, adding a space heater can help warm up the space.

Since basements are larger rooms, you may need a bigger space heater. Because of the extra space, find a heater with its own thermostat and heat settings. Try to place it in the middle of the room.

By adding a space heater to your basement, you can actually use it during the winter months. You can avoid the hassle of having to extend ducts or upgrade your HVAC system.

Garages/ Workshops: Heat Up Outdoor Storage Areas 

If you like to work in your garage or workshop, you know how extremely cold they can be. Garages, especially ones attached to your home, probably don’t get any heat at all. By placing a space heater in your garage, you can make your own comfortable work area.

Get a larger and heavier duty heater for these areas. Because garages have large garage doors and are full of concrete, you’ll need a heater with more power. Make sure you place your heater away from any paint cans, gasoline, wood, etc.

By placing a space heater in your work area, you can do DIY projects any time of the year without killing your fingers. Just remember to unplug it when you’re done using it to conserve energy.

Sunrooms/ Three Season Rooms: Heat Rooms With Lots of Windows 

Sunrooms are great, but they typically don’t have the best insulation. Most have windows all around and don’t usually come with heat. By placing a space heater in your sunroom, you can enjoy it year-round.

You want to avoid placing your heater near any windows. Because of how drafty windows can make a room, you don’t want all your heat going right out the window! Hang thermal curtains to help insulate your room.

Because you have taken these steps, you can use your sunroom in the winter. Now you can enjoy your coffee while watching the snow fall without trembling from the cold.

Where NOT to Place Space Heaters 

Just because you can place your space heater almost anywhere, doesn’t mean you should. Avoid placing your space heater in closets, under shelves, or enclosed areas. Because these areas don’t allow for proper ventilation, they can cause a fire.

NHS Shop said that you should also avoid placing your space heater in laundry rooms close to the lint and kitchens close to your cooking area. Both kitchens and laundry rooms pose a risk when using space heaters because they’re close to another source of heat.

FAQ’s

1. Should I use my space heater in my bedroom overnight?

Yes! Bedrooms are ideal spaces to heat with a space heater. Just make sure that it's at least three feet away from beds, curtains, or other flammable materials. Ideally, invest in a space heater with a timer and automatic shut-off that will warm your bedroom before you get into bed and turn itself off while you sleep, so you wake up warm without having to keep it on all night.

2. What about my home office? 

Offices and workspaces are another great place to use a space heater because it allows you to heat specific work areas. Simply place it near or underneath your desk to heat your immediate surroundings without having to heat your entire home. Just make sure not to put office supplies, papers, or cords too close to your heater.

3. Can I put my space heater in the bathroom?

Definitely! Bathrooms tend to be colder than most rooms and may have other challenges like moisture. Make sure you purchase a bathroom safe heater that is designed to resist moisture and keep it away from showers, sinks, and wet surfaces. A small ceramic heater is ideal for bathrooms when you need quick heat that is safe to use.

4. How about my living room or basement? 

Of course! The living room is ideal because that's typically where your family spends most of their time. Heating one corner of the room will allow the heat to spread throughout the entire space. Basements can also benefit from space heaters, especially if it's finished and you spend time down there. Get a larger space heater with variable temperature settings and place it in the center of the room for maximum efficiency instead of installing a new HVAC system.

5. Can I use my space heater in my garage, workshop, or sunroom?

Garages, workshops, and sunrooms are typically not insulated as well as the rest of your home, so a space heater can help warm these areas up. If you plan to heat your garage or workshop, opt for an industrial space heater and avoid placing it near any flammable materials. If you want to heat your sunroom or three-season room, keep your space heater away from drafty windows and install some thermal curtains to help retain the heat. You can heat these rooms year-round with the right preparation!

6. Where should I NOT place my space heater?

Avoid putting your space heater in closets, under shelves, or blocks from airflow in any way. These spaces can cause your heater to overheat and are fire hazards. Additionally, avoid putting your space heater in laundry rooms with lint or kitchens too close to your stove and oven.