by Charles Corthell

Created on: December 15, 2008   Last Updated: September 20, 2011

While space heaters are a convenient, and often cost effective, way to provide supplemental heat to a home, they can be dangerous if used improperly. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), space heaters are the leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January and February. The risk, however, can be greatly reduced by practicing simple safety precautions in the maintenance and operation of space heaters.

If possible, older space heaters should be replaced. Heaters manufactured since 1991 meet stricter performance and safety standards than previous years. Though some of the most advanced space heaters include technically innovative safety controls such as infrared or proximity sensors, which can turn a heater off when objects come too close, at the minimum any space heater, new or old, should meet these three basic requirements:

Has been certified and approved by a national testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL).
Has a guard around the heating element that helps prevent children, pets and clothing from coming in contact with the heat source.
Has a "tip switch" that will shut it off if it is knocked over or falls.
Before operating any space heater, always read, understand, and follow the manufacturer's operating instructions. Make sure the heater is in safe working condition; check for missing or damaged guards or controls and inspect the cord for cracking or fraying. If any repairs are necessary, have them done by a qualified repair person. Never operate a defective space heater.

Following a few safety precautions when operating a space heater can greatly reduce the chance of fire or personal injury:

Place the heater on a level, hard, nonflammable surface; do not place on rugs or carpets, or on tables or counter tops.
Always keep the space heater at least 3 feet from bedding, drapes, furniture or other flammable items. Never use it to dry clothing, towels or other combustibles.
Never leave a space heater unattended. Turn it off when you're leaving a room or going to sleep. Always unplug it when not in use.
Do not hide space heater cords under rugs or carpets. Placing anything on top of the cord could cause the cord to overheat, resulting in a fire.
Do not use an extension cord unless absolutely necessary. If you must use an extension cord, it must be marked #14 or #12 AWG (American Wire Gauge). Using a light-duty, household extension cord with high-wattage appliances, such as space heaters, can start a fire.
Unless certified for that purpose, never use space heaters in a bathroom or other moist place, and never touch an electric heater when you are wet.
Combustion-fuel space heaters (kerosene, propane) require additional precautions beyond those of the more common electric space heater. Heaters that are not working properly, not only pose a fire hazard, they can release harmful and even fatal amounts of pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide into the air. Some other considerations for using combustion-fuel space heaters are:

Combustion-fuel space heaters should be inspected annually by qualified persons to ensure that they are properly adjusted, clean and properly vented.
Make sure that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly before using a space heater.
Never refill a combustion-fuel heater while it's on or inside the home.
Only use the manufacturer recommended fuel in a combustion-fuel space heater.
Do not use combustion-fuel heaters that vent their exhaust into the room.

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