The winter season is wrought with cold spells. Sometimes it results in a mild change of temperature, and at others, it becomes outright chilly. At these times, space heaters are a real blessing. They are most suitable for people and places that require only a short-term heating solution. They are effective in warming portions of the house without having to install a costly central heating system.
What Is A Space Heater?
A space heater is a portable device or appliance that is used to heat a small area. The area could be a single room or a small closed space. Usually, they run on electricity though some types use propane, natural gas, or wood pellets to provide heating.
Why Are Space Heaters Considered Dangerous?
Space heaters are not looked upon too favorably due to a long list of hazards attached to them. Being aware of the associated dangers will help you avoid them from occurring.
1. Can Cause Fires If Kept Cole To Flammable Materials – Space heaters have coils that heat up to provide warmth. If placed close to a flammable material like curtains, carpet, clothes, bedding, etc., there is always a risk of fire. The coils radiate intense heat, which causes the things in close proximity to it to heat up so much so that they catch fire. Once a fire starts within the home, it can spread quickly, making for a perilous situation.
2. Can Lead To Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – Though electric space heaters don’t pose this threat, the fuel-burning ones do. When the fuel-burning space heaters are ops in a closed room, they reduce the oxygen content and increase the concentration of carbon monoxide in that enclosed space. With no influx of fresh air, it leads to carbon monoxide poisoning and can prove to be fatal. The worst known cases are those where people used a fuel-burning space heater in their bedroom where all doors and windows were closed and went to sleep. Sadly such mistakes are a one-way road to heaven.
3. May Cause Circuit Overload – Electric space heaters pull a lot of power to work. You can’t just plug it in any socket and switch it on. Doing so will lead to a circuit overload, which can either trip the circuit breaker or start an electrical fire. Many people make this mistake. Most of them do so because of a lack of awareness. Others assume that since nothing has happened until now, it won’t happen in the future as well. Circuit overload is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.
4. Special Care Needed With Small Kids And Pets – When using a space heater, electrical or fuel-burning, one needs to exercise tremendous care, especially when there are small children and pets sharing the house. They are both delightfully careless, giving many joyous moments. The same reckless behavior around the space heater can result in an accident leading to burns or fire. Therefore, one cannot afford even a single moment of negligence around a space heater.
Are Space Heaters Actually Dangerous?
Space heaters are dangerous. There is no denying the fact. Nevertheless, it does not mean that you can’t use them safely. With a little common sense, you can easily use them with ease and complete safety.
Using Space Heaters Safely
Space heaters can be used safely if you keep a few things in mind. In fact, many homeowners have been using them to their advantage for years now without any untoward incident. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Keep The Space Heater Three Feet Away From Everything – The golden rule is to keep the space heater at least three feet away from everything. This way, it will be far enough from all things. So there is no more danger of things catching fire.
2. Don’t Keep The Space Heater On Carpet Or A Wooden Surface – Carpets and wooden surfaces are also inflammable. Avoid keeping your space heater on them. If necessary, buy a table or a stand made of non-inflammable material like stone or concrete to place it upon.
3. Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors And Ensure Ventilation – No matter what, always install a carbon monoxide detector in the room where you use a space heater. This way, when the concentration of carbon monoxide increases, you shall be warned well in time before any incident happens. Another thing that needs to be ensured is that at least one window or door in the room should be open when using a space heater. It ensures a source of fresh air to enter and maintain a healthy oxygen level.
4. Install A Dedicated Circuit For Space Heater – As we mentioned earlier, the space heater consumes a lot of power. If you wish to avoid situations like a blown fuse and electrical fire, install a dedicated circuit for it.
5. Exercise Caution Always – Don’t leave the space heater on when you are not in the room and absolutely not when you are away from home. Constantly warn the children of the dangers of mischievous behavior and recklessness around the space heater. If possible, don’t use it until such time that they go to bed. If you have pets, restrict them from entering the room where the space heater is on.
Space Heaters Are A Good Solution
The space heaters may have earned a bad name, but that is only because people don’t know the correct way to use them. With a little care and awareness, they are an easy and pocket-friendly solution to provide warmth during cold spells.
At Aztil Air Conditioning, we are always ready to offer you advice about indoor heating and cooling solutions. If you are a resident of West Palm Beach, Florida, and wish to discuss the same, contact us at +1-888-729-8452. We have a dedicated team of 100 plus technicians who can also take care of installations, repairs, and maintenance of your HVAC systems. Operating since 1981, we are well known in the area for providing prompt action, quality service, and complete customer satisfaction. If you want peace of mind, call Aztil AC now.
