Space Heater Safety Tips

6/8/2022 (Permalink)

Follow our Safety Tips and Avoid problems with your Space Heater in your Property.

The small appliance you use to keep your feet toasty on cold nights in North St. Paul, MN, may seem harmless. A burned space heater, however, can lead to a bigger fire that causes significant damage to your home. Follow these tips to avoid such a disaster.

4 Tips To Avoid Space Heater Fires

Buy a Safe Product

Good fire safety starts with the machine itself. There are several safety features you should look for when buying a space heater:

• Automatic shutoff
• GFCI plug
• Long cord
• Certified testing seal

Buying a quality product with built-in safety mechanisms can help prevent fire.

Replace Filters

Dust that gets caught in any electrical appliance can easily lead to the need for the services of smoke cleanup professionals. The manual that comes with your space heater can tell you how often the filter needs to be cleaned or replaced. Make sure you heed the manufacturer's instructions to avoid having a burned space heater.

Give It Room

Your heater needs a lot of personal space. Make sure you keep a radius of three feet around it at all times but especially when it is in use. Keep it out of the reach of children and pets. Not only can its hot surface lead to burns, but if they knock it over while running, it can ignite flammable items on which it falls.

Turn It Off

A space heater is not meant to take the place of your home's HVAC system. It is designed to provide supplemental warmth on a temporary basis. Do not leave a space heater on when you leave the room or while you sleep. As a general rule, if you are not able to pay attention to it, it should be off and unplugged.

Extra heat is a nice luxury, but a burned space heater causes more problems than it resolves. Get the most out of your heater by following safety protocols carefully.