Keep Space Heaters 3 Feet Clear, Turn Off When You Leave
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) says to keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from heat sources such as space heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators and candles, and to turn space heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed. USFA also says never to use an oven to heat your home.
USFA data show heating was the second leading cause of home fires in 2021; portable heaters were behind only 3% of home heating fires per year in 2017–2019, but 41% of fatal home heating fires. This article follows USFA’s heating fire safety page: what to watch for, and the numbers.
What to watch for
USFA explains (USFA Heating Fire Safety):
- 3 feet from heat sources: keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, space heaters and candles.
- Turn heaters off: turn space heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed.
- No oven heating: never use an oven to heat your home.
- Yearly checkups: have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected by a professional every year; have chimneys and vents cleaned and inspected at least once a year.
- Cords and plugs: USFA’s pictographs also remind you to check the condition of cords, plug appliances in correctly and not use extension cords with appliances.
USFA’s numbers
- Second leading cause: in 2021, heating was the second leading cause of home fires; it has trended downward since the early 1980s.
- 2021 estimates: fire departments responded to an estimated 32,200 home heating fires, which caused an estimated 190 deaths, 625 injuries and $442 million in property loss.
- Portable heaters: on average per year in 2017–2019, portable heater fires were 3% of home heating fires but 41% of fatal home heating fires.
For getting ready for winter storms and outages, see Winter Storms, Never Heat with a Gas Stove, Keep a Car Kit; for how to escape a fire, see Fires Can Turn Life-Threatening in 2 Minutes, Plan 2 Exits; for where to put smoke and CO alarms, see Smoke and CO Alarms on Each Level, Test Smoke Alarms Monthly.
What this article doesn’t cover
- Fireplaces and wood stoves in detail: USFA has a separate fireplace and wood stove handout that this article didn’t review.
- Plug details: the page only shows pictographs without written details, so this article doesn’t go further.
- Heating duties in rentals: the page doesn’t say what landlords must do, so this article doesn’t either.
- Newer statistics: the page was reviewed in 2023 and its numbers run through 2021; this article didn’t look for newer figures.
FAQ
How far should a space heater be from furniture?
USFA says anything that can burn should be at least 3 feet from heat sources, including space heaters.
Can I leave a space heater on while I sleep?
USFA says to turn space heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed.
Can I use the oven for heat if the heat goes out?
No. USFA says never to use an oven to heat your home.
How often should heating be checked?
USFA says to have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected by a professional every year.
Sources and date checked
All checked on 2026-11-01.
- U.S. Fire Administration, Heating Fire Safety (page reviewed 2023-05-04):https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/prevent-fires/heating/