How to Prevent Space Heater Fires in Your Home This Winter

Unfortunately each winter there are quite a few space heater related fires that burn down apartment complexes and homes. Most of these could have been prevented is proper safety steps were taken and if using newer space heaters that have protective features that can help prevent problems. Learn what to look for when purchasing a space heater and how to prevent fires in your home.

Older space heaters do not have many safety features on them at all and should be avoided. If using an old one, the danger of a fire is much higher. The newer models have some features that you need to make sure are included to have optimal safety.

The first feature is automatic shut off is the heater overheats. At times an object can block the front of the heater, the heater might get knocked over, or something inside the heater malfunctions causing it to heat up to much higher temperatures than intended. With automatic shut off protection the unit will shut down when the heater reaches too hot of a temperature for too long. This means that the space heater in the other room has a chance of turning off before becoming problematic if it was forgot about during the day.

The second feature is kick over protection. If the unit it tilted to a certain angle far before being tipped completely over, it will shut off. Many old space heaters were knocked over causing fires as they heated up the carpet. With kick over protection, this should not happen.

A thermostat is also beneficial in a heater. While it is not designed with safety in mind, it can be useful to turn the heater down to a low setting meaning that it won't have as much of a chance of overheating.

While safety features are nice, there is still some personal responsibility that must be taken else a safe space heater can still cause problems. Only use the heater on surfaces that it is designed for. The best surfaces are on material that can not catch fire and are flat like a tile floor.

Always use the heater in a room that is clear from potential objects that could catch fire. If there are blankets and clothes laying on the floor, clean them up and put them away before turning on the unit as these tend to be the most common household items to catch fire.

Watch out for children and pets. While most space heaters are cool to the touch, it's still best to keep your child or your pet away from them. There is always the chance that your child might move and object in front of the heater that could catch fire. If you are using the heater, it's best to keep an eye on it at all time.

Get rid of the old space heater and replace it with one that has kick over and overheating protection. Be responsible by using the heater on proper surfaces in a clean room while always keeping an eye on the heater especially if there are children or pets in the home. By following these steps, it will help cut down on unnecessary fires this winter.