# Can't have space heater in office because of wiring?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-have-space-heater-in-office-because-of-wiring/341318 "2006-01-23T22:43:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-have-space-heater-in-office-because-of-wiring/341318/21 "2006-01-24T16:24:55Z")
I work for a property management company, and we get this question all the time. Most of our houses are over 50 years old, and just can’t cope with a space heater (let alone 2 or 3 when the tenant doesn’t have gas service on). Besides, one of our landlords’ houses burned down in October because of a space heater ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-have-space-heater-in-office-because-of-wiring/341318/22 "2006-01-24T16:25:41Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I was happily working away when I started a print job and the power went out. > > … > > Is there anything else can I do? Switch to an inkjet? Otherwise, short of having an electrician run a new circuit, you’re pretty much stuck with juggling loads. This reminds me of the old \*Green Acres \* TV show, where they had one outlet in the kitchen, and a gaggle of cords. They’d just plug in whatever they needed at the moment. When you want to print, just be sure the heater is off. ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-have-space-heater-in-office-because-of-wiring/341318/23 "2006-01-24T18:03:03Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > You get up at the end of the day, shove your chair under your desk and walk away; heater comes on, ignites chair fabric, and penis ensues. Holy moly! I would not want penis to ensue on my behalf! I had no idea that that kind of catastrophe could happen in my office because of my heater. …I may have forgotten to turn my heater off in the past. …And when I checked, it may not have stopped running when I tipped it over. You guys have convinced me. Special thanks to Dewey Finn, for allowing me to believe that my boss would never lie to me! ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-have-space-heater-in-office-because-of-wiring/341318/24 "2006-01-24T19:26:50Z")
Would they let you try a lower wattage heater? Our building maintenance guy gave me a heater that can be set to 750 watts. I just checked and it only pulls 6 Amps. There are three of us on this circuit, so as long as the guys in the next two offices don’t run heaters at the same time, we’re all right. ---
**Author:** ![orangetruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ad7895/32.png) [@orangetruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orangetruck)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-have-space-heater-in-office-because-of-wiring/341318/25 "2006-01-24T20:57:08Z")
One thing that you can do to avoid needing a space heater is to place all your power consuming appliances under your desk. I have two computers at my workstation, and I have them under my desk. With them both on it gets pretty toasty under there, especially if I am running a long processing job. Another thing you can do is insulate your under-desk area with blankets. Most people have desks made of metal, at least on the sides. This conducts a fair amount of heat away from your legs. Insulate that metal with blankets or some stick-on rubber insulation like dynamat and you will be kept warmer by your own body heat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-have-space-heater-in-office-because-of-wiring/341318.md?page=1)