As colder weather sets in, homeowners begin making the annual switch on their thermostats from “Cool” to “Heat”. Leaving your home’s furnace running day and night is expected and fully safe to do. However, many homeowners also use alternative heating systems, including space heaters and electric heaters, which are not safe to use when unattended (like at night).
Here we’ll answer the question, “Can I leave my furnace on all night?” We’ll show you how you can keep your home comfortably warm all night safely and reliably.
Your Home’s Furnace or Permanent Heating System is Safe for All-Night Heating
Using your home’s furnace, no matter what type, is completely safe both day and night. After all, it was designed to keep your entire home at a comfortable temperature. Your heater is built into your home’s structure and has sophisticated safety systems that shut it off if anything were to go terribly awry, minimizing any risk you may have.
Some homeowners try to “save energy” by turning their heating system off at night. There are several reasons NOT to turn your heater off completely.
First, if you leave your home’s furnace off at night, you will have to work extra hard the next day to return your home to a comfortable temperature, which can significantly increase your energy bills.
Second, your home might get too cold at night. At a minimum, this can make it difficult to sleep comfortably and feel rested the next day; but it can also be unsafe. We do not recommend turning off your furnace, boiler, or heat pump at night. Instead, lower the temperature a few degrees with your thermostat, then turn it back up in the morning. Keeping your heating system running is the best way to ensure safe and efficient operation when it’s cold outside.
For homeowners with heat pump systems that serve as their primary heating source, maintaining proper operation is especially critical since these dual-function units provide both heating and cooling—if your heat pump isn’t maintaining comfortable temperatures through the night, professional heat pump repair services in Sunrise Manor can diagnose issues with reversing valves, defrost cycles, and backup heating elements to restore efficient 24/7 operation.
If you do not have a programmable thermostat already, we recommend installing one. With a programmable thermostat, you can set temperature schedules for your home, letting you choose your ideal temperature for every time of day and night. (For example, you can lower the temperature a few degrees at night to reduce the amount of energy used to heat your home.) Setting your temperature 7 to 8 degrees lower for 8 hours at night can reduce your heating costs by up to 10%, according to Energy.gov. We can install a programmable thermostat in your home to give you easy, total control over your home’s heating and cooling.
Use Caution When Using Space Heaters – Do Not Leave Unattended!
Space heaters—whether electric or propane—pose a high level of risk. They are not safe to use during the night. Portable space heaters can overheat from extended use or fall over, both of which can result in a fast-moving fire that occurs while you are asleep, not giving you enough time to react to danger. Propane heaters or fires (such as in homes with a fireplace) have the potential to leak fuel, again leading to high fire danger.
So if you want to know how long you can leave an electric or propane heater on, the answer is “while attended”. Temporary use of space heaters is fine during the day and while you are present to monitor them. Never leave any space heater on while unattended by a responsible adult. Leaving an electric or propane space heater on overnight is especially risky.
If you’re uncomfortably cold at night, we recommend adjusting your thermostat. Consider installing a programmable thermostat if your desired temperature changes throughout the day. If you haven’t had your home’s heating system serviced this year, reach out to us for comprehensive heater maintenance in Las Vegas that maintains your furnace’s peak efficiency and can help reduce your overall costs.
We provide preventative maintenance that maintains your furnace’s peak efficiency and can help reduce your overall costs, making your home more affordable to heat. If the nights are cold and your heater is not working, our professional Las Vegas heating repair technicians can fix it for you in no time. If you’re dealing with an outdated or failing heating system and want to maximize year-round efficiency, consider professional heat pump installation that provides both heating and cooling capabilities in a single energy-efficient unit.
Safely Using a Space Heater During the Day
It is not safe to run a space heater overnight. If you use an electric or propane space heater during the day, make sure to protect yourself and your home by following all safety practices.
- Use space heaters that automatically turn off if they tip over.
- Only plug space heaters into grounded outlets. Do not plug them into adapters or power strips that are not capable of handling the high amount of power these heaters use.
- Keep space heaters at a safe distance from anything flammable to reduce the risk of fire: beds, curtains, towels, etc.
- Do not place space heaters in tightly enclosed spaces, like under a closed desk or between a couch and a wall. Even if the things around it are not technically “flammable”, keeping the heat trapped in a tiny space can cause the space heater itself to overheat and pose a fire risk.
- Keep children and pets far away from space heaters.
- Follow any other precautions on your space heater’s safety label.
So if you’re looking for a safe space heater, some have features that make them definitely safer than others. But again, no space heater is truly safe for overnight use.
How to Make Your Home Warmer Without Turning Up the Thermostat
You may be looking for ways to keep your home warm that don’t involve cranking up your thermostat. Here are some simple methods you can try to make your house warmer without turning up the thermostat. These methods won’t heat your home (only your furnace or heater can do that), but they can help keep in the heat provided by your furnace, and thus help your heating system be more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
- If your ceiling fans have a reverse function, run them in reverse. This helps pull down more warm air from the ceiling into your home’s living spaces.
- Soft home furnishings (like carpet and fabric curtains) do better at trapping heat than hard surfaces (like tile or hard shutters). Consider adding more rugs and curtains to rooms with hard furnishings.
- Keep your curtains closed even on warm days since this allows for too much heat loss.
- Seal any drafts around windows, doors, paneling, and even floors.
- Consider the value of adding more insulation to your home. While this option comes with some upfront costs, the right insulation can reduce your monthly heating/cooling costs.
- Let us help you with a programmable thermostat that can optimize your temperature at every time of day and night, keeping your home comfortable and energy efficient.
Our team at Sunrise Service can offer you support in this process.
We also recommend having yearly maintenance performed on your home’s heating system. Preventative maintenance and heater repairs keep your unit working at its best, not to mention reducing the likelihood of needing more costly fixes later. According to a survey done in 2023, roughly 70% of homeowners do not maintain their heaters, effectively missing out on the many benefits of preventative maintenance.
Schedule a Heating System Inspection Today
At Sunrise Service, we can help you enjoy a comfortable home both day and night, minimizing the risk of fires, and ensuring you don’t need to rely on risky space heaters. Our team of licensed professionals can provide a full assessment of your home heating system, and quickly attend to any heater repair and heater installation needs, and can offer additional tips for effectively managing your home’s heating system.
Sunrise Service has been at the forefront of heating and furnace repairs in Las Vegas for over 30 years, having served over 100,000 homes just like yours. We also provide comprehensive HVAC services in Las Vegas and Henderson, including AC repair and installation, and 24/7 emergency HVAC repairs.
To get started, call us at (702) 213-4565 or book online using our easy service scheduler.
