Duraflame Heater Keeps Shutting Off [Quick Fix]

The Duraflame Heater keeps your house warm and cozy and is your best friend in winter. However, you cannot enjoy the Duraflame heater if it keeps shutting off.

In this article, we discuss the reasons your Duraflame could be failing. Then we detail DIY tips for fixing this problem.

Here are likely reasons your Duraflame heater won’t run properly:

Broken heating element
Malfunctioning shut-off sensors
Faulty socket
Worn heater cord
Dirty filter
Overheating

Let’s go into detail on how you can fix these problems and get your Duraflame heater running again:

Table of Contents

How to Fix ‘Duraflame Heater Keeps Shutting Off’ Issue

Check the Power Source

A bad power supply can affect the performance of your Duraflame heater and force it to shut off during operation. Many homeowners miss checking this issue because they expect something more complex.

Before anything, confirm if the heater is receiving constant power supply from the wall outlet. Plug in a different appliance into the socket and evaluate what happens next. If the new device doesn’t run, the problem is from the power outlet — and you need to replace it.

Inspect Your Heater Cord

The cord connects the heater to the power source, ensuring it runs properly. A problem with the heater cord will affect the power supply to your heater and affect its performance.

Start troubleshooting by checking the cable for signs of breaking and fraying. Switch off the heater and disconnect the cord before doing so to minimize the danger of electrocution.

We advise you to replace the cord immediately when it shows signs of wear and tear. Beyond its effect on performance, a frayed cord is dangerous, especially if you have kids and pets around.

If your Duraflame heater is still not working after changing cords, try this next fix!

Replace Defective Fuses

Heaters have a fuse to prevent them from overheating by disrupting the flow of current. This fuse is wedged among its internal components and will melt if the heater temperature exceeds a certain limit. The fuse melting ensures that the heater doesn’t continue to operate at high temperatures.

Disconnect the device and open the fuse box to check if the fuse is indeed damaged. What you’re looking for is melting, breakage, burning, or any sign that the fuse has experienced damage.

A damaged fuse cannot be repaired, so you’ll have to replace it. You may install the new fuse or ask a technician to help with the installation.

Check the Thermostat

Your thermostat and heater work together, and any issues with one may affect the other. We’ll examine basic problems that may disrupt the thermostat’s operation and explore common fixes.

Problem 1:

It is common for thermostats to slip out of position and detach from electrical contact points. If that happens, your thermostat will malfunction and cause the heater to shut down prematurely.

Problem 2:

The thermostat may switch off because indoor temperatures have reached a preset limit. Let’s imagine you have a Duraflame heater. It cannot happen throughout the day without turning you to toast.

The thermostat allows you to define at which temperature you want the heater to shut off. Once the heater reaches that level, it will stop running after getting a prompt from the thermostat.

If you suspect the thermostat is not touching the contact points, you need to open the thermostat and adjust the components.

Fixing the second issue takes a longer process. Disconnect the heater and allow it to cool for some minutes. Then you need to re-install the heater and see if the problem still occurs. If it does, continue reading to check other DIY hacks to solve the problem.

Deactivate the Safety Protection

Your Duraflame heater has a bunch of safety features that safeguard it from overheating. These “shut-off” systems will kill any power in your heater — this protects other components from melting because of extreme heat.

Any of these features could be active without your knowledge. The best thing to do is open the heater to see what caused the shut-off safety feature to kick in. Perhaps blocked vents are preventing air from oscillating in the heater.

However, the sensors attached to these safety shut-off devices may be at fault. Malfunctioning sensors will send wrong information to the auto shut-off system, affecting the heater.

Many owners have found success fixing their Duraflame heaters by cleaning the sensors. However, this fix works only if you have traced the problem to faulty sensors.

Your other option is to check the circuit as we explain below:

Check Your Home Circuit

If all the fixes mentioned above make no difference, check your home’s circuit. An electrical surge or overload may have triggered one of the circuit breakers.

A circuit breaker is a device that prevents excess electricity from flooding your electrical equipment. The breaker usually limits power flowing through the circuit, protecting connected equipment from damage.

Luckily, you don’t have to replace the breaker, except it’s damaged. If an electrical surge triggered it, you could reset it by flipping the breaker switch. If that doesn’t fix the issue, your breaker might be due for replacement.

Replace the Heating Element

The heating element generates the heat that warms your home during winter. The heating element is integral to the system, so that a bad heating element may alter the heater’s performance.

Diagnosing a faulty heating element is simple. Here are a few steps on how to check if the heating element in your Duraflame heater is functioning properly:

Method 1:

Plug your heater and (carefully) inspect the heating element.
Functional heating elements emit a bright orange glow. A faulty heating element usually emits a faint glow; that’s a sign it is wearing out.

Method 2:

Remove the Duraflame heater from its power source.
Break the device apart until you can locate the heating element
Check the resistance of the heating element with a multimeter. Just touch the probes to each end of the heating element.
Ideally, the resistance should be high — if the results display an infinity symbol, there’s a problem.

You’ll need to replace the heating element if your diagnosis reveals extensive damage. Ensure that your replacement part has the same specifications as the damaged one.

Conclusion

With the fixes discussed in this post, you should have enough know-how to fix your malfunctioning Duraflame heater. These tips are easy to implement for everyone and should be useful in troubleshooting.

And if none of these fixes work for you? Reach out to the Duraflame customer support center or hire a professional to give insights on the potential issues causing your heater to perform erratically.