When the cold weather arrives, so too does the portable heating equipment, pulled out of the garage or closet and fired up to keep us warm. While portable heaters can help ward off the chilly nights, they can also pose a serious fire danger.
Heating equipment is a leading cause of fires in U.S. homes. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments responded to approximately 52,000 fires involving heating equipment each year. These fires resulted in 490 civilian deaths and 1,400 civilian injuries a year.
The NFPA offers these tips for safe space heater use:
- Purchase a heater with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory.
- Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including people.
- Choose a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection.
- Place the heater on a solid, flat surface.
- Make sure your heater has an auto shut-off to turn the heater off if it tips over.
- Keep space heaters out of the way of foot traffic.
- Never block an exit.
- Keep children away from the space heater.
- Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet.
- Never use an extension cord.
- Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to bed.
If your space heater catches fire, call 911 immediately. If possible, close the door to the room where the space heater is located before exiting the building.
