Space Heater Not Working or Shutting Off: What to Check

By Ray Bennett · Updated 2 October 2026 · 9 min read · Checked against the sources at the end

Space Heater Not Working or Shutting Off: What to Check

Short answer

A plug-in space heater shuts itself off on purpose when it tips, gets too hot or the room is warm. Switch it off and unplug it, clear anything blocking it, let it cool for at least 10 minutes and stand it level on the floor, then plug it straight into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip. If the plug is hot or the outlet cover warm, stop using it and call an electrician.

A plug-in space heater has two switches whose job is to turn it off: one when it tips over, one when it gets too hot. A heater that keeps stopping may be doing what it was built to do, and the makers’ troubleshooting lists say what to check.

The checks below take about fifteen minutes. A heater that still will not run after them is not opened: unplug it and contact its maker, as Vornado and Honeywell both say. Honeywell says its HCE200 does not come apart.

Before you start

What to carry: a torch and a lamp you know works, to test the outlet. Fifteen minutes, most of it waiting for the heater to cool.

Gas or electric? This page is about plug-in electric space heaters. Kerosene and propane heaters are fuel burning. CPSC says never to refuel one while it is in use, and to have CO alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. NFPA says that if you smell gas, do not light the heater, leave the home at once and call the fire department or gas company. Built-in heaters have their own guides: an electric wall heater and an electric baseboard heater.

Three rules before you plug it back in. Straight into a wall outlet, nothing in between. CPSC says to always plug an electric space heater directly into a wall outlet and never into an extension cord or power strip, to prevent overloading and causing a fire. Vornado and Honeywell say the same in their manuals.

A hot plug, a warm outlet cover, sparks or flickering lights. Vornado says a hot plug or outlet means stop using the heater and have the outlet replaced by a qualified electrician. Warm outlet covers, sparks or flickering lights mean turn it off and unplug it at once, and have an electrician find the cause before it is used again. Honeywell says a plug can feel warm in normal use, but a loose fit in the outlet can overheat the plug, and a worn outlet should be replaced by an electrician. Honeywell also says that if your home has aluminum wiring, a licensed electrician should check the outlet’s connections, because aluminum wire connections can cause a safety issue with a 1,500 watt heater.

Three feet, and off when you sleep. CPSC says to keep a space heater at least three feet from drapes, furniture and bedding, and never to leave one on while sleeping. NFPA says to turn it off when you leave the room and to keep a three foot kid-free zone around it, and Honeywell says to put it where small children or pets cannot trip over it. CPSC says to have smoke alarms on every level of the home and inside each bedroom, and to test them every month.

Why it switches itself off

The five things that stop a space heater, from the Vornado and Honeywell manuals, in the order this guide checks them.

Check 1Free, two minutes

Make sure it is getting power

The plug and the outlet. Vornado’s first check is whether the heater is plugged in, and Honeywell’s is that it is plugged in and the outlet works. Plug a lamp into the same outlet to see. If the heater’s plug will not go all the way in, Vornado and Honeywell say it is polarized and fits only one way. Turn it around and never force it; if it still does not fit, call a qualified electrician rather than try to defeat it.

The breaker. Vornado says that if the heater and other electrical things stop at the same moment, the home’s breaker or fuse may have tripped from too much load: reset the breaker or replace the fuse.

A GFCI outlet. Vornado and Honeywell say their heaters are not for bathrooms, laundry areas or other damp places. Vornado also says not to use its heater on a GFCI outlet or a surge-protected unit, and that a GFCI may trip for no real fault; if one does, move the heater to a standard wall outlet in a dry room.

Check 2

Stand it level

The tip-over switch. Vornado says a switch on the bottom cuts the power if the heater tips over, and its fix is to place the heater on a level surface. Honeywell says its HCE200 has a four way tip-over switch, and that once it is set upright you follow the normal operating steps again.

A stand on the cord. Honeywell warns that if the metal stand rests on the power cord, the tip-over switch can trip. Run the cord through the stand, not under it. Vornado and Honeywell also say never to run the cord under carpet, rugs or furniture, or where people will trip over it.

On the floor. Vornado’s MVH manual says the heater is for floor use only.

On but no heat. If it runs but gives no heat, Vornado says to switch it off, unplug it and push the plunger on the bottom in 4 to 5 times to be sure it is not stuck. Set it on a flat surface with the cord not under it, then plug it in, switch it on and turn it to the highest heat setting. If there is still no heat, stop using it and contact the maker.

Check 3Free, 10 minutes

Reset the overheat cutout

Why it trips. Vornado says overheating can happen when the air inlets or the outlet are blocked, and its safety system then cuts the power until the heater is reset by hand. Honeywell says a high temperature safety control does the same on the HCE200.

Vornado’s reset. Switch the heater off and unplug it. Remove anything blocking it. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for it to cool, plug it back in, set it in place and press the power button.

Honeywell’s reset. Turn it off and unplug it, let it cool completely, remove the blockage, wait at least 10 minutes, then plug it back in and follow the operating steps.

If it keeps tripping. Vornado says to call its consumer services if the safety system keeps shutting the heater off or it will not reset, and both makers say not to run a heater after it malfunctions, so leave it unplugged until then. Honeywell says its HCE200 also has a thermal fuse that shuts it down for good if it runs hotter than normal, and then the heater must be replaced.

Not on a timer. Vornado says not to run its heater from a timer that switches it on and off, because that can accidentally disable the heater’s overheat cutout.

Check 4

Check the thermostat and the heat setting

It may simply be warm enough. Honeywell says the heater may be off because the room has reached the thermostat setting. Its steps are to turn the thermostat fully up, then slowly back until the heating element goes off once the room is comfortable; the thermostat then cycles it on and off.

Not enough heat. Vornado’s list is to set the heater to high heat and the thermostat to its highest setting, close doors and windows to keep the heat in, and give it several minutes to move the warm air around the room.

Low and high. Honeywell says its HCE200 uses 900 watts on low and 1,500 watts on high.

Check 5Free, a vacuum

Clean the dust out

Vornado’s steps. Unplug the heater. Vacuum the front grille and the side air inlets with the brush attachment, then wipe it down with a soft, dry cloth. Vornado recommends cleaning the outside weekly, and says blowing it out now and then with compressed air keeps the element and motor clear of dust and hair and gets rid of the smells they cause.

Honeywell’s steps. Turn the HCE200 off, unplug it and let it cool. Clean the outside with a dry cloth only, never water, wax, polish or chemicals, at least once a month and before storing it.

It trips the breaker

It draws a lot. Honeywell lists its HCE200 at 12.5 amps on a 120 volt outlet. Vornado says heaters draw more current than small appliances, so an outlet can overheat with a heater even if it never has with anything else.

Something else on the same circuit. Vornado says not to run its heater on the same circuit as another high energy appliance such as a vacuum cleaner, blender, variable speed fan or circular saw. Vornado also suggests running the heater on low, running only one heater at once and unplugging other things while it runs, or having an electrician add a circuit, and Honeywell says its low setting draws less. Or move the heater to an outlet on a different circuit: a breaker that keeps tripping.

How CPSC, NFPA, Vornado and Honeywell say to use a space heater.

A smell, or a damaged heater

Dust and hair. Vornado says dust, hair and debris build up inside a heater as it moves air, and blowing it out removes the smells they cause. If the smell comes from the plug or the outlet, or the plug looks out of shape, turn the heater off and unplug it: Vornado and Honeywell say a loose outlet can overheat the plug, and an electrician should replace the outlet.

A damaged cord, or a heater that was dropped. Vornado says never to run a heater with a damaged cord or plug, or after it has malfunctioned, been dropped or been damaged in any way: throw it away or return it to an authorized service facility.

Do not open it. Honeywell says its HCE200 does not come apart, and warns that opening the motor housing can damage the heater or injure you.

A recalled heater. CPSC says to check www.cpsc.gov/recalls, and if a product has been recalled, stop using it immediately and contact the recalling company for the remedy.

What each one costs

The step	Cost
Outlet, breaker, standing it level	Nothing
Overheat reset and cleaning	Nothing
A blown thermal fuse or a damaged heater	A new heater, unless the maker’s warranty covers it
A hot or loose outlet	An electrician’s visit

Questions people ask

Why does my space heater keep turning off?

Vornado and Honeywell point to the tip-over switch, the overheat cutout because something blocks the air, the thermostat because the room is warm, and the power to the outlet. Stand it level, clear it, and reset it by switching it off, unplugging it and letting it cool.

How do I reset a space heater?

Vornado says turn it off, unplug it, remove anything blocking it, wait 5 to 10 minutes, then plug it back in and switch it on. Honeywell says to wait at least 10 minutes.

Can I plug a space heater into an extension cord or power strip?

No. CPSC says always plug it directly into a wall outlet and never into an extension cord or power strip, and Vornado and Honeywell say the same.

Why does my space heater trip the breaker?

It draws a lot of current: Honeywell lists its HCE200 at 12.5 amps. Vornado says not to share the circuit with another big appliance such as a vacuum. Move it to another circuit.

Why is my space heater not getting hot?

Vornado says to check it is on high heat with the thermostat at its highest setting, close doors and windows, and give it several minutes. If it runs but gives no heat at all, Vornado says to unplug it and push the plunger on the bottom in 4 to 5 times so it is not stuck; if there is still no heat, stop using it and contact the maker.

Is it safe to leave a space heater on overnight?

No. CPSC says never to leave a portable heater on while sleeping, and NFPA says to turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed.

The other electric heat guides: a space heater making noise, an electric heater that smells like burning, an electric baseboard heater not working and an electric wall heater not working.

Sources: Vornado MVH whole room heater owner's guide, Honeywell HCE200 Series ceramic heater manual (Kaz), CPSC release 25-101 "Stay Warm Safely" (January 2025), and NFPA Heating Safety tip sheet