DIY & Home Improvement

Plug-in heaters are notorious for overheating receptacles, and while you may end up replacing the heater's plug or the actual receptacle sooner than you thought possible, at least the house is protected.

The extra cost isn't that great....although I haven't priced #12 lately. The big question is how easy it is to get from A to B. I'm lucky in that both crawlspace and attic are accessible, and I wired my house for baseboard and ditched the old oil furnace. BIG win.

If it were me, I'd STRONGLY consider dedicating the circuit to a hard-wired baseboard for the extra security, instead of a plug in. It's no extra work, and the only downsides are that it's less flexible, in that you won't end up with a receptacle that you can use for a vacuum, for example, and the heater can't be moved to accommodate a new furniture arrangement.

Finally, while I have no idea what the electrical code is where you are, I do know that here, you are allowed 3750W on a heating circuit with #12 wire. That is a pantload of heat.