As colder weather settles in and households look for quick ways to stay warm, space heaters become a popular solution for chilly bedrooms, living rooms, and home offices. These small devices can create instant comfort, especially in homes with uneven heating or drafty areas. However, fire departments across the country are warning that while space heaters are convenient, they can also pose serious risks if used incorrectly.

One of the strongest safety warnings from firefighters is to never plug a space heater into a power strip or surge protector. Power strips are built for low-wattage electronics like lamps, chargers, and small gadgets—not high-wattage appliances. A space heater draws a large amount of electricity, which can cause a power strip to overheat within minutes. Fire departments have shared images of melted and charred power strips to show how quickly they can fail under the strain. Plugging a heater directly into a wall outlet is the only safe option.