You can rely on Lasko ceramic heaters. It can be frustrating when your Lasko heater suddenly shuts off on its own. When you turn it on again, it does not take enough time to turn it off again.
In most cases, the problem can be fixed easily.
Why Lasko Ceramic Heaters Shut Off On Their Own
When ceramic heaters overheat, they shut off on their own.
When your Lasko heater becomes very hot internally, overheat protection is designed to prevent fires.
Although it can be happening due to other reasons that your Lasko heater shutting off too, the most common one is the overheat protection.
If it is not happening because of overheating protection, then it is a loose contact in the electronics or the same electric problem.
How to Fix Your Lasko Ceramic Heater That Keeps Shutting Off
To fix your Lasko Heater that keeps shutting off, we will begin with the overheating first as it is the most common reason for it.
In case, it does not work, I will guide you where to look.
The overheat protection is the main culprit in 9 out of 10 cases.
Here is what you can do:
1. Get Rid of Dust to Prevent Overheating
Your Lasko heater can gather dust with time. The dust restricts the air circulation in the heater which stops your heater from blowing out the hot air.
In addition, the dust also covers the ceramic heating element and insulates it, which results in it getting too hot.
The overheating that results in shut-offs, in most cases, can happen because of the buildup of dust inside your Lasko heater.
Remove the dust inside your Lasko heater to fix the overheating.
Disassemble your Lasko Ceramic Heater
To begin with, the first thing is to open up the back side of your Lasko heater.
Before you start doing it, ensure that your heater is unplugged!
It is different for every Lasko model, but generally, you will find simple screws that you can remove by using a screwdriver or an Allen key.
Remove the back panel of your heater.
Most models are designed with a temperature sensor attached to the back casing.
You will see a squirrel cage fan along with its motor.
Usually, the ceramic heating element is available below the blower motor. So, to uncover the heating elements, you need to unscrew the blower motor from its base.
A thick layer of dust will be visible to you now.
Here is an internal situation of a clogged Lasko heater. The heating element gets covered by a thick layer of dust which is available below the blower motor. (source)
Clean the Heating Element by Removing Dust
Now, clean the heating element by removing all the dust on it. Most of the time, it is dense enough, that you can get rid of it with your bare hands.
The cleaner you make your heating element, the longer it takes for dust to gather again. So, it would be ideal to do it thoroughly. Dust accumulates more dust.
Generally, you use compressed air or vacuum to remove the dust. But you have to be careful and ensure that you do not damage the heating coil.
I saw someone in one video who was cleaning his heating element using a wire brush which is not a good idea.
My recommendation is to use compressed air cans or this electric compressed air duster.
Clean the Squirrel Cage
It can be different as per Lasko models, but generally, they come with a squirrel cage blower. You can remove the squirrel cage from the blower motor for the process.
In my situation, it is a dual-mount, in which one squirrel cage is below, and one is above the blower motor.
After that, you can rinse the squirrel cage, in some cases, squirrel cages with the help of water.
Dry them properly. Dust and humidity do not go well with one another. Otherwise, you will not be able to remove the smell.
When they become dry, mount them back onto the motor axes.
If you are not able to remove your squirrel cage, your fan blade (or any other blower mechanism available inside your Lasko heater), just remove the dust while it’s mounted. It does not need rinsing. It is my recommendation for a thorough cleaning.
While performing the cleaning steps, avoid using any chemical cleaners. They can only hurt the electronics and when you turn on your heater, they will become unhealthy gases.
After cleaning it, your Lasko heater will become dust-free as the heater is available in the above image.
Reassemble your Lasko Ceramic Heater
The next step is to reassemble it once you have cleaned the internal parts of your Lasko.
Organize the blower back into its place. After that, install the back cover onto the remaining part of your Lasko heater.
Check whether the Heater Shuts Off
Use the power button to turn on the heater. Use high-temperature settings.
You will observe better airflow immediately.
Also, your heater should not be turned off on its own.
The issue is resolved.
2. Check your Heater for Electronic Issues
If it was not helpful to remove the dust inside your heater, you will have to recheck what is the reason.
To do that, disassemble your Lasko heater again.
First of all, find a spot of dust if you have missed any. The overheating might be happening because of dust, you are just not able to locate it.
That is the reason I suggested compressed air earlier. It removes cracks that you cannot see.
Once you are confident that your heater is dust-free, inspect it for electronics problems.
Visually Check the Circuitry
I have experience working in the electronics repair department of an electronics manufacturer. And almost I was able to see all the fixable problems with my bare eyes.
A lot of people consider that the gaining of knowledge of voltage probes is necessary to troubleshoot electronics. In most cases, it is not needed.
Here’s my recommendation:
Have a look at the electronic circuitry for 5 minutes and set a 5-minute timer for it. Just stare at it. To get a better look, use a bright light.
You need to find:
- Disconnected / open / loosely connected connectors
- Burn marks
- Blown parts
If there is an electronic issue that results in your Lasko heater to keep shutting off, you will notice it.
Fix the Electronic Issue
Once you have found the issue, resolve it. If there are any loose or open connections, firmly connect them.
And change blown or burnt parts.
To find a matching replacement part, you need to look for it in an electronic online store.
If you are not able to locate it, consider getting a matching replacement circuit board, or take out it from an old defective Lasko heater.
If you can handle electronics well, you can also solder in a different part from another old device, the best would be to use the same specification and check if that works.
Now, your Lasko heater should not shut off on its own.
3. Inspect the Thermostat Setting
If you have cleaned your Lasko heater and there is no electronic issue with it, the next thing you should do is to have another look at your Lasko heater’s thermostat setting.
The function of the thermostat is to control the temperature. You can set the desired temperature of your heater on the front panel of it. The target temperature will determine your desired room temperature.
Your Lasko heater outputs hot air until it reaches the desired or target temperature.
If you have set a target temperature that is similar to the current room temperature, the heating of the thermostat will turn off quickly.
So, to troubleshoot it, you need to set it to the highest possible temperature.
If you have set it at too low a temperature then it is leading your Lasko heater to shut off on its own.
But in this case, the heater should turn on on its own too when the room temperature declines as per the recommendation of the target temperature.
What can I do if I can’t fix my Lasko heater?
Most of the time, it is easy to fix Lasko heaters that keep shutting off. But at times, the cause is not as simple as it seems.
In some cases, you do not have much time, skills and tools to fix your Lasko heater on your own.
In this case, my recommendation is to save time and save yourself from this headache. You should consider getting a new heater rather than spending hours troubleshooting it.
A new heater will cost you money but it will save you from all the fruitless efforts you put in fixing it.
Space heaters are not very costly. Oftentimes, purchasing a new heater is the best way to go ahead.
The automatic shut-off issue is not frequent in all space heaters. Generally, the problem is in ceramic heaters along with a built-in blower.
Suggested heater that never shuts off on its own
If you want to prevent self-shut-offs in the future, my recommendation is to get an oil-filled radiator.
My favourite oil-filled radiator is not only cheap but also reliable and never faced a single electronic problem.
Oil-filled radiators function without blower fans, and there are no moving parts either. So, with time, they do not stop working.
For decades, they do not need maintenance.
Final Words
These 3 methods will cover most Lasko heaters shutting off on their own.
If the previous solution did not work for you (which is not possible). You can read other related articles on our website.