Safety Tips for Portable Heaters

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

21 Jan 2009 01:29 PM

When the temperature goes down, more and more people are turning to portable heaters to warm up. Portable heaters can be a great way to cut your heating costs. Because they heat only a small space, you can turn down that furnace and yet still feel comfortable. Portable heaters are especially good when you will be staying in one place for a length of time, such as in an office, a home office, a living room, etc.

Portable heaters do come with some safety precautions. As a source of heat and electricity, portable heaters can be hazards. Here are some safety tips that you should keep in mind while using your portable heater.

When choosing a portable heater for inside your home, never use one that requires fuel unless you have experience with such devices and can monitor them constantly. Fuel such as kerosene can catch fire or explode. Our local news has already had several stories this winter about fatal fires from portable heaters that use fuel.

When using an electric heater, make sure to keep it out of the bathroom, the kitchen, the laundry room and away from any room that has water.

Never disable any safety features of your portable heater, such as automatic safety shut off. These features are there for a reason.

If your portable heater seems to be working poorly, replace it or have it services.

Do a safety check for frayed cords before using your portable heater.

Keep your heater away from any materials that could be combustible. a general safety rule is to keep the heater at least three feet away. There are heaters that are rated for closer range, but this is still a good rule.

A portable heater should never be plugged into an extension cord. Plus it directly into a reliable outlet.

Children should be kept away from a portable heater at all times. Never leave a room or a child unsupervised when you are using a portable heater.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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