Colder temperatures are here for a while and then they’re gone and then they’re back again. But safety guidelines should always stay in the forefront of your mind to maintain safety in your home. If you are trying to supplement your heat, make sure to keep your family safe by following some safety tips listed below.
Space heaters and other types of portable heaters are widely used in homes, offices and other areas to supplement the major heating system.
According to National Fire Protection Association, based on 2009-2013 annual averages:
• Space heaters, whether portable or stationary, accounted for two of every five (40 percent) of home heating fires and four out of five (84 percent) of home heating fire deaths.
• Placing things that can burn tooclose to heating equipment or placing heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattress, or bedding, was the leading factor contributing to ignition in fatal home heating fires and accounted for more than half (56 percent) of home heating fire deaths.
• Nearly half (49 percent) of all home heating fires occurred in December, January and February.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that an estimated 6,000 persons receive hospital emergency room care for burn injuries associated with contacting hot surfaces of room heaters, mostly in non-fire situations.
Realizing that in some of our buildings or homes, there may be improper insulation, undersized heating equipment and the fact that different folks have varied body temperature standards, portable heaters may be needed. However, we must practice some safety tips that can greatly reduce the risk of possible deaths, injuries, or loss of property.
When using a space heater make sure the heater is:
• Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) listed and labeled.
• Inspected and in good working condition. Never operate a heater you suspect is damaged. Before use, inspect the heater, cord, and plug for damage. Follow all manufacturer operation and maintenance instructions.
• Equipped with a safety “tip-over” shut-off feature. Insure that the heater is placed on a stable, level surface, and located where it will not be knocked over.
• Plugged directly into a hard-wired electric wall outlet. Only the power cord supplied with the unit may be used. Extension cords or power strips must not be used under any circumstance. Never run the heater’s cord under rugs or carpeting. This can damage the cord, causing it and nearby objects to burn. To prevent electric shocks and electrocutions, always keep electric heaters away from water, and never touch an electric heater if you are wet.
• Positioned a minimum of three feet from any combustible material. Keep combustible material such as beds, sofas, curtains, papers, and clothes at least 3 feet from the front, sides, and rear of the heater or any other heat source such as a fire place or wood burning heater.
• Continuously under supervision. The unit must never be left unattended. It must be unplugged, not just turned off, anytime you leave home or any building.
Although space heaters are a concern, other safety concerns include properly working smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, using generators and power saws. Make sure to replace batteries at least twice per year and follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using power equipment in cold weather.
For more educational information, please contact the MSU Extension Office at 601-635-7011.
