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Original poster

Any type of electric heater that is safe to leave on in an empty house?

11 replies

ExemplaryVegetable · 09/02/2025 10:26

I am “looking after” my sister’s house while she’s abroad on a long work trip.

Between us we’ve been making sure the central heating kicks in when it it gets cold (mainly using a Hive app; to stop the pipes freezing but also as she has an old partly-feral cat that spends some of its time there.

However her boiler has just packed in and I am about to go away for a week. I have a neighbour popping in to check on the cat and feed him if he’s there, but what can I do about the heating? There’s no way I can get the boiler sorted before I leave

Are there any electric heaters I can go and buy, that it would be safe to leave switched on for a week? I can’t think what else to do and we’re both panicking because the weather forecast is very cold while I’m away

OP posts:
ZookeeperSE · 09/02/2025 10:33

Well, if you're comfortable leaving electric items on in general, you can get a timer plug for it so it isn't constantly on. I assume you mean an oil filled electric radiator has a thermostat that will switch it on/off as per the temperature? I think they're generally quite safe. Having said that, I don't think I would do it, but I can't articulate why. Which just reminds me of the Michael McIntyre 'We trust the fridge' sketch, but there we are.

Original poster
ExemplaryVegetable · 09/02/2025 10:42

Thanks @ZookeeperSE yes I was just thinking about timer switches!

Most of the appliances are on in the house (although all this has made me wonder if that is sensible too… fridge, freezer and so on) I do have a couple of oil-filled radiators but they are pretty old; presumably it would be better to get a few new ones that would be more reliable, and some new timers.

Edited to say - her house is cold and draughty so I assume the thermostat on the radiators wouldn’t turn them off…

Gah - the timing of all this is so annoying

OP posts:
JC03745 · 09/02/2025 10:45

How long is your sister away for? Many insurance companies won't cover you if the house is unoccupied more than a month!

My only thought was also an oil filled heaters on timers. MIL used to have an uninsulated garden room for crafts. She left an oil heater on day and night in there to prevent damp and mould. We added a time once we knew she was leaving it on 24hrs a day. No idea if this is safer though?

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Home improvement
PlumpAndDeliciousFatcat · 09/02/2025 10:45

What’s the exact purpose of keeping the house heated? Is it primarily for the cat? A space heater won’t stop the pipes freezing.. I’d put some old blankets down for the cat - even without heating it will still be warmer than outside. You could look into a low-energy heated pad or blanket for the cat’s bed, I suppose.

TimeForSpring · 09/02/2025 10:54

I'd drain the system, and leave a heated pad for the cat.

If you do go down the oil filled radiator route, I'd get one with an inbuilt thermostat and timer if possible

HumerousHumous · 09/02/2025 11:03

Op, we are an in similar situation but are selling my DF’s house to sell as he has gone into a care home and house empty and the boiler packed up three weeks ago. Happened during the really cold snap! Because we don’t want the chance of pipes bursting and mould forming in the house, we have bought four electric convector heaters for various rooms which are all on a thermostat and come on if hits a certain temperature. Seems to be keeping house a little warmer. The electric bill has been very high though for an empty house!

Bayonetlightbulb · 09/02/2025 11:05

PlumpAndDeliciousFatcat · 09/02/2025 10:45

What’s the exact purpose of keeping the house heated? Is it primarily for the cat? A space heater won’t stop the pipes freezing.. I’d put some old blankets down for the cat - even without heating it will still be warmer than outside. You could look into a low-energy heated pad or blanket for the cat’s bed, I suppose.

Jeez, how cruel.
Oil filled radiators should be safe.

PlumpAndDeliciousFatcat · 09/02/2025 11:08

Bayonetlightbulb · 09/02/2025 11:05

Jeez, how cruel.
Oil filled radiators should be safe.

Show quote history

What are you on about? Feral cats live perfectly safely in unheated outbuildings.

Knowing the primary reasons for heating the house will help OP to find the right solution. If the concern is general damp and mould then she needs multiple heaters. If it’s primarily for the cat then she only needs to heat one space and the safest and most efficient way to do this might be with something like an electric blanket.

Original poster
ExemplaryVegetable · 09/02/2025 12:10

Thank you everyone - it’s really helpful thinking it through and working out what exactly we need to achieve (i think we were both in panic mode)

The house is old and prone to damp so we wanted to keep a level of warmth to stave off mould and so on; maybe not so much of a priority given it’s only a week. The cat mostly fends for himself (he used to lodge in the next door shed but has taken to coming in through the cat flap over the last couple of years) but he definitely doesn’t cope as well with cold weather as he used to. A heat pad is a good idea; I’m going to get one this afternoon and look at oil filled radiators

I’m back in one week and she is back in a fortnight, so we should be able to muddle through. I think we might need to turn the water off though - this would minimise risk of flooding from any burst pipes presumably?

OP posts:
PlumpAndDeliciousFatcat · 09/02/2025 12:13

Definitely turn off the water at the stopcock. At least the draughts will help with ventilation!

Does she have unoccupied property insurance?

MemorableTrenchcoat · 09/02/2025 12:14

ExemplaryVegetable · 09/02/2025 12:10

Thank you everyone - it’s really helpful thinking it through and working out what exactly we need to achieve (i think we were both in panic mode)

The house is old and prone to damp so we wanted to keep a level of warmth to stave off mould and so on; maybe not so much of a priority given it’s only a week. The cat mostly fends for himself (he used to lodge in the next door shed but has taken to coming in through the cat flap over the last couple of years) but he definitely doesn’t cope as well with cold weather as he used to. A heat pad is a good idea; I’m going to get one this afternoon and look at oil filled radiators

I’m back in one week and she is back in a fortnight, so we should be able to muddle through. I think we might need to turn the water off though - this would minimise risk of flooding from any burst pipes presumably?

Turning the water off isn’t enough to stop pipes bursting; there will still be water in all the pipes.

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