Using a space heater in a rare Florida cold snap? Make sure you don’t burn your house down
Still thawing out from the coldest iguana freezing snap in South Florida in a decade?
If you’re using a space heater before temperatures start to climb into the 60s and 70s Thursday into the weekend, be sure you are using them properly. Better to dress in layers or snuggle under an extra blanket than become a casualty.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 25,000 fires and 300 fire-related deaths happen every year because of space heater mishaps.
The National Fire Protection Association’s 2018 U.S. Home Fires Involving Heating Equipment report found that more than half — 53% — of all home heating fire deaths resulted from fires that began when heating equipment was too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses or bedding.
Portable and stationary space heaters accounted for more than two of every five, or 43%, of home heating fires and five out of six, or 85%, of home heating fire deaths between 2011 and 2015.
Peter Duncanson, a disaster restoration expert with ServiceMaster Restore, which has 31 locations in Florida, offered the following safety tips if you’re using a space heater.
Safety tips
▪ Always keep space heaters at least three feet away from furniture, wastebaskets or anything that may be flammable. Never place them in confined areas. That means if you’re the type who lives amid clutter, or in a small space with a lot of things around, you ought to consider other means to keep warm indoors.
▪ Plug the space heater directly into the wall outlet, not a surge protector.
▪ Use space heaters that include an automatic shutoff feature.
▪ Turn space heaters off each time you leave the room. Never leave them unattended.
The Compact Appliance website offers more safety tips that include:
▪ Inspect the cords to make sure they aren’t frayed or damaged in any way. One spark can set a nearby couch on fire. Don’t run the cords under carpets to hide them, either.
▪ Keep the space heater stable. Don’t place it atop a rickety surface.
▪ Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. Check the batteries regularly.
