Did you know that home heating problems are the second leading cause of residential fires in the United States? Today’s portable heaters help easy temperature controlthey are some of the worst culprits. When these handy heaters are placed in the wrong places or leaned against furniture, they can quickly start a chain reaction ending in a house fire.
Don’t get us wrong – a heater with careful spot heating in cold rooms can help you save money — but everyone should watch out for human error. Keep your heaters safe this winter by avoiding all of these (literally) hot spots.
Read more: The best heaters
Heaters, even those with tip-over safety mechanisms, are not for carpets.
1. On a carpet, rug or flammable surface
Heating appliances cannot stand on a surface that can easily burn or catch fire. This means you can never put one on a carpet or rug. You should also avoid using them on more delicate hardwood or fusible vinyl, especially for long periods.
What if you only have carpet in a cold room? You can look for a ceramic or other heat resistant base to place under the heater. It should be larger than the heater itself by about 3 inches on each side.
2. Near walls and furniture
Your heater needs a safety zone: keep it at least 3 feet away from walls or furniture to avoid a burn hazard. Unfortunately, this also means that under your desk or dining table is off-limits. Try to aim heaters at these areas instead of placing heaters directly under them.
3. Near blankets, pillows or curtains
Heaters become even more of a fire risk if someone accidentally places a blanket or pillow against them – and in winter this can easily happen. The same applies if the heater is pressed against hanging curtains. Keep all of these flammable items at least 3 feet away from the heater at all times.
Keep heaters away from everyday objects to be safe.
4. Anywhere easily accessible to pets or small children
Heaters can easily burn the unwary, and while many newer models have an automatic shut-off if tipped over, a dropped heater can still be a serious fire hazard. Additionally, pets and children may not pay attention to where they place toys or blankets, which can create additional risks.
Use heaters in places where very small children and larger pets doesn’t have access or rarely goes. When they pay attention, teach them to give the heater a wide berth.
5. Bathrooms and laundry rooms
Heaters play poorly around water, which can affect performance and greatly increase the risk of electric shock. They also tend to be at greater risk of tipping over in these environments.
Unfortunately, bathrooms and laundry rooms often suffer from brrr-level temperatures if there is no heating. We suggest placing a heater outside these rooms for maximum effect and safety.
Staying near a heater is fine, but always check that it’s not overloading your system.
6. Included with many other appliances or lights
Space heaters are a big drain on the amperage used by the electrical circuit. This is usually fine for newer 15-amp household outlets, as modern heaters are designed to work with these receptacles. The circuit and circuit breaker that controls this room/area has its limitations.
Running a heater along with a bunch of other appliances (kitchen appliances, large entertainment systems, etc.) can overload the system. At best, the breaker flips and the power shuts off. At worst, it overheats the wiring and causes an electrical fire.
Read more: 7 things to never plug into an extension cord or power strip
This risk of overload is also more common in the colder months, as the holidays often result in more lighted decorations being put up, which further increases the load on the amplifier of home circuits. You can help mitigate the problems by placing devices on alternating schedules to reduce the overall power load and monitor with smart plugs.
7. Plugged into an extension cord or power strip (or both)
Extension cords and power strips are not necessarily rated for the wattage the heaters require and can increase the risk of an electrical fire, even if the outlet and breaker can handle the heater. Plugging an extension cord into a power strip before connecting the heater only increases the danger.
If you really need a heater in a remote location, look for a model that comes with a wireless power cord. Some extension cords are designed to support higher amperage appliances, but you need to be very careful when pairing them with a heater – we prefer to avoid it altogether.
Watch where you plug in a heater before warming your toes.
8. Plugged into an old or non-GFCI outlet
A ground fault circuit breaker is a handy piece of technology that shuts down the outlet if there’s a problem with the electrical current, especially if it looks like it might complete a circuit elsewhere. This is a useful protection against shocks, overheating of appliances and other problems. Always make sure your heater is plugged into a GFCI outlet.
Likewise, avoid plugging the heater into a particularly old outlet or one that has seen problems before, such as suddenly not working. This increases the risk of causing cable damage and subsequent fires.
9. Close to everyone who gets winter allergies
Heaters are not always a great combination for allergy sufferers.
Winter allergies they are often caused by dust, dust mites and particles that accumulate during closed winter days. These types of allergies don’t do very well if a unit blows hot air into the room. This is especially true if a heater or room has not been cleaned recently and there is a lot of accumulated dust that can be blown around. So if someone has particularly sensitive allergies, try to avoid using the heater near them and see if you can find different ways to keep warm.
Final tip: Never use fuel heaters inside
only use electric or radiant heaters inside. Never use heaters that require fuel such as kerosene, propane or other gas indoors – including the garage.
Fuel will always create flue gases, and these fumes need a special vent to escape the home (as a gas fireplace does). Without venting the fumes, these heaters will fill the enclosed spaces with carbon monoxide, which can lead to carbon dioxide poisoning, the worst news. The exception is certain oil-filled heaters that don’t actually burn oil, but these are relatively rare.
Read more: The best smoke detectors
Remember that if you go out or go to bed, remember to turn off the heater – never leave it on and unattended in your home. For more home safety tips, see dangerous mistakes homeowners make during a wildfireon the best ways to deter thieves and the absolute the worst places to put a security camera.
