Portable heater safety on Long Island is likely a household topic lately no thanks to the treacherous Polar Vortex that’s socked in the U.S. east coast. It’s always a good plan to have portable heaters for use in your home as a way to save money on your heat bill.
However, these heaters are also known for being major fire hazards when safety isn’t observed. Energy.gov notes that 25,000 fires are caused by portable heaters every year, resulting in 300 deaths. It’s one reason why you should never fall asleep with a portable heater running. Nevertheless, a fire could easily occur while you’re awake if you don’t inspect your heater before use and observe safe operating procedures.
Buying and Placing Your Heater
While it might be tempting to buy a cheap portable heater, don’t buy one if it doesn’t have the Underwriter’s Laboratory label on the package. You’re familiar with the “UL” on electrical items, and this indicates the item has been inspected for safety. It also means the heater has safety features that prevent it from overheating. Anything less shouldn’t be on the market, even though some are still out there.
Also consider the size of your heater. A proper UL-listed heater will tell you on the box which size is the most appropriate for a particular room. Make sure that when you place the heater in the room, it’s not too large or the overwhelming heat could be hazardous. Make sure it’s steady and can’t be easily knocked over by one of your pets or a child in the house.
Electrical vs. Combustion Portable Heaters
To save money, some buy combustion portable heaters that take fuel in order to operate. These generally come in vented or unvented varieties. It’s the latter that’s now considered quite dangerous to use inside the home due to the possible emanation of toxic fumes, including carbon monoxide. Energy.gov above points out that various states have banned unvented heaters as a result.
Vented combustion heaters are considered a good option due to their cost savings and better ventilation systems when placed next to an open wall. They still need to be inspected regularly to make sure the ventilation isn’t blocked due to corrosion or rust. If you ignore this danger, carbon monoxide can also end up permeating your Long Island home and become very dangerous.
Electrical portable heaters are always more expensive, yet preferred for the safer aspects. While the earlier-mentioned safety considerations should be looked for on the box, also consider one with a safety switch that automatically turns the heater off if it gets knocked over.
Because of these hazards, an existing portable heater you’re using now might be a danger in your home. You need a good fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector for your Long Island home to help alert you to any dangers when using portable heaters become necessary due to severe cold.
Here at All Island Security in Long Island, New York, we provide superior fire alarm and CO protection alarms that are proven in their reliability. While we also offer state-of-the-art burglar alarms, we want to be comprehensive in making sure your Long Island home is safe from the unexpected during the winter season.
