in-wall bathroom heater, supposedly controlled by knob, doesn't always turn off.

[Grasswire2]

An electric heater built into the wall. Turn the knob, it comes on. Try to turn it off by turning the knob, doesn't always happen.
Further, sometimes it just comes on by itself, with no one having touched the knob. It has a mind of its own.
Sometimes, it seems that I have to control it by turning off or on the breaker switch for it, which is out in the laundry room.

It's kind of a nuisance, could be a danger if I forget to flip the breaker.

Yes, I can solve this by never using it and using a plug-in little heater to warm the bathroom and never, ever having possibility of using the in-wall heater (because the breaker would disallow).

Just wondering what a fire department inspector would think of such a heater. (Rented apartment, landlords not great on maintenance.)

[SarahD]

1. Leave it off!

Assuming it has a dedicated breaker, shut off the breaker and leave it off. It's not to be trusted.

[Quakerfriend]

2. I had the same problem years ago-

My electric KitchenAid range began turning itself on. We called the repair man and in the meantime we turned it on/off using the breaker.

Fireworks exploded from the back of the range & almost burned the house down.

I would not use it at all !! Stay safe!

[Grasswire2]

5. oh lordy!!

The kitchen wiring has been a problem here, too.

Seems unbelievable, but the son who does the wiring and maintenance remodeled this kitchen without installing one of those special electrical switches that has the little button that pops out ... didn't install that at the sink (I'm told it's required anywhere near water). That's just one story. I was without an oven element for almost a year because I was afraid to allow him to come and replace it. LOL

[LunaSea]

3. Sounds like a new switch is in order

You are right, it's too dangerous to leave powered.
Perhaps point out to your landlord that he should fix that before a fire inspector does and slap him with a fine. Switch will be cheaper and just take a few minutes to replace.

[Grasswire2]

4. well, landlord is 90 years old and his (uncredentialed) son does the maintenance.

It's a big ol' house. The owner is a Yale-educated architect and lives on the main floor. Downstairs there are two ADUs built in remodel. Mine is the larger of the two apartments downstairs. Maintenance for this house is done by the son, and I have half a dozen horror stories about that.

But.....it is a beautiful location right on the shore of a beautiful river, and very conveniently located. Great neighbors, an enviable location, reasonable rent.

I got curious once and looked for county inspection records for this remodel, which would have been done about twenty years ago. The county has NO RECORD of any permit or inspection for this property remodel. Crazy. That also means, likely, that owner is not declaring rental income he's been getting on the property, in his tax filings. And the two Accessory Dwelling Units on lower level are not permitted or inspected.

So, loving the location, I just keep my head down and try not to make any waves.

I will always keep the breaker on that heater turned OFF Thank you, DU. Thank you.

P.S. There has never been an inspection here in my tenure, and I have been here almost fifteen years.

[usonian]

6. How far away are you? :-)

I visited my daughter's rental once and the heat wouldn't go off. She thought nothing of it, but it was getting pretty damn warm.

I drove over to Radio Shack (R.I.P.), got a soldering iron and fixed a wire that let go. About 50 or more years of flexing made it part company with its lug.

I suspect there's a thermostat somewhere in the unit that's flakey. Old thermostats used a mercury switch on a big old coil spring. So does my current one. If it's built-in and accessible only by cutting open a wall, try to get a new one installed, or put a little space heater in there and kiss bye-bye to the flakey unit.

Even if one has lowered expectations, any landlord would protect their property from possible electrical fires. Unless they are playing the insurance game.

[Grasswire2]

7. I think you are absolutely right. There's a thermostat in the heater that is not working.

It comes on and goes off on its own terms.

The landlord did come down once and fiddle with it himself, but he is even less useful than his son (who I would NEVER AGAIN allow to touch anything electrical here).

And I will follow advice here from several people. Flip the breaker switch off and never turn it back on.

THANKS DU peeps.

[usonian]

8. I've been a tinkerer all my life, so I personally would try to fix it if I had clear access.

I have a drier that I am sure has a broken "tension switch"

Long story short, it's in the very back, WHICH CAN'T BE OPENED, so I'd have to take out the drum and everything else, to get to it.

Just as I got it, I prop the "run" switch to the start position and leave it there. The timer does all the work perfectly and safely.

That's what the word "repairability" means. Pop open a door or take the damn thing entirely apart to replace something.

Well, good luck. You are taking the right safety precautions. Besides, whatever you get is portable! It's yours to keep.

I don't remember seeing any units at the thrift store. Heaters are usually best had in the summer!

If you have an outlet with a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) please use that. It has test and reset buttons.

If not, get a unit that has an interrupter in its plug. My hair dryer is like that.

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