Small Heater Safety

Often, small heaters are just the right appliance to take the chill out of a room without turning on the central heat. Of course, many people don't have central heat and have no choice but to use these heaters for whatever warmth they can get. Small space heaters are convenient and do the job well in most instances, but they can also pose a dangerous threat to your home and family. Following some basic safety advice can help keep you safe through the cold months.

Statistics

Using a small heater may be convenient, but safety must always be a top priority. Statistics show that these heaters can be very dangerous when used without caution. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were nearly 10,000 residential fires each year between 1999 and 2002 due to electric space heaters in the home. This correlated with approximately 190 deaths per year. In addition to these figures, an estimated 6,000 people have to go to the emergency room each year to take care of burns suffered when accidentally coming in contact with hot surfaces on these small heaters.

Types

Not all small heaters are created equally. Some of the most dangerous include gas heaters, portable kerosene heaters and portable electric heaters. Many states have outlawed the use of portable kerosene heaters for use in the home. Small heaters not only carry the risk of fire but are also responsible for a number of carbon monoxide deaths each year.

Purchase

Safety begins with the purchase of a small heater. Shoppers should look for the (UL) symbol on their small heater, meaning it has been inspected by the Underwriter's Laboratory for electric specifications and safety. When this symbol is not present, consumers are unable to determine with any degree of certainty whether the heater in question has been through rigorous safety testing.

Heating Guard

Don't purchase a heater that has an open heating element. As mentioned earlier, many of the injuries concerning small heaters occur from accidental contact with hot elements. Look for small heaters with a guard around the heating element such as a wire grill. Not only will this prevent accidental touching, it may help in preventing fabrics and other firestarters from touching the element.

Sleeping

It can be tempting to use a small space heater as a source of warmth while you drift off to sleep, but this is a bad idea. No small heater should be left unattended and this includes sleeping while it's on. Even with this said, try purchasing a heater that has a tip-over switch, meaning it will shut down automatically if the unit falls over.

References

• CPSC: Electric Space Heater Safety
• Energy Savers: Portable Heaters