Tips to prevent home fires from space heaters
The Consumer Product Safety Commission reminds consumers to follow
safety precautions when purchasing and using electric or fuel-fired space heaters.
Fuel-burning space heaters also can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and indoor
air pollution because of improper venting or incomplete combustion.
- Choose a space heater that has been tested to the latest safety
standards and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These
heaters will
have the most up-to-date safety features; older space heaters may
not meet the newer safety standards. CPSC worked to upgrade industry standards
for electric, kerosene, vented and unvented gas space heaters. An automatic
cut-off device is now required to turn off electric or kerosene heaters if
they tip over. More guarding around the heating coils of electric heaters
and the burner of kerosene heaters also is required to prevent fires. CPSC
worked
to upgrade the industry standard for unvented gas heaters to provide an oxygen
depletion sensor to shut off the heater if the oxygen level drops too low.
CPSC and industry amended the vented-heater standard to provide a spill switch
to turn off the heater if the vent is blocked or disconnected.
- Select a space heater with a guard around the flame area or heating element.
Place the heater on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or
carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep the heater at least three feet from
bedding, drapes, furniture or other flammable materials.
- Keep doors open to the rest of the house if using an unvented
fuel-burning space heater. This helps prevent pollutant build-up and promotes
proper combustion.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to provide sufficient combustion
air to prevent carbon monoxide build-up.
- Never leave a space heater on when going
to sleep. Never place a space
heater close to any sleeping person.
- Turn the space heater off if leaving
the area. Keep children and pets
away from space heaters.
- Have a smoke alarm with fresh batteries on each level
of the house and inside every bedroom. In addition, have a carbon monoxide
alarm outside the bedrooms
in each separate sleeping area.
- Be aware that mobile homes require specially
designed heating equipment.
- Inspect
gas and kerosene space heaters annually.