Electric Heating Systems

Winter is here and your home (especially in older homes) may have areas that need a little help in the warmth department. The solution most people think of is a space heater. They are compact, portable and newer models are energy efficient. Everything has it pros and cons and the biggest con of space heaters is the risk of fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association, more home fires occur in December, January and February than the rest of the year. Of the top three causes of house fires, space heaters rank third behind smoking and electrical shorts. Space heaters are involved in 79 percent of fatal home heating fires. They may not have an open flame, but they are hot enough to start a fire.

To prevent these fire risks, follow these simple safety tips.
Do's

• Read and follow the instructions for its operation and maintenance.
• Keep the heater in safe working condition; replace missing guards and controls at once.
• Keep a safety zone of about three feet, or refer to the manufacturer's instructions for the distance the heater should be placed from combustible materials, and the floor so carpeting or flooring materials don't start to burn
• Check surrounding objects periodically to see if they feel hot
• Plug cords directly into outlets, do not use extension cords

If you have no other option other than an extension cord, make sure it is a heavy duty cord marked with a # 14 gauge wire or larger. If the heater's plug has a grounding prong, use only a grounding (three-wire) extension cord. But again, this is NOT recommended.

• Electric space heaters should be Underwriters Laboratories approved and have a tip-over switch
• Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements.
• Use heaters for limited periods, not as primary heating source, it's more efficient to direct the heat to warm people than space.
• All heating elements should have a safety guard.
• Turn it off when you leave the room
• Make sure your heater has a safety switch that shuts the space heater off when tipped over or over heats
• Place the heater on a level surface for stability.
• Use heaters that have timers
• Always keep portable electric heaters away from water and never touch an electric heater if you're wet

Don'ts

• Never operate a defective heater
• Never use a heater as a dryer by placing anything over it
• Never use in a bathroom or near a sink
• Never run the heater's cord (or any cord) under rugs or carpeting.
• Don't place the heater where children might play near it or where people might trip over or bump into it.
• Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water

Kids and Pets

• Let the kids know this is not a toy and it can get really hot
• Never leave children unattended near a space heater.
• Prevent pets from chewing cords.
• Make sure your cat (or small dog) isn't able to jump on the heater
• Make sure your cat or dog can't brush up against it, the heater could cause serious burns

You might consider blocking off the heater with free-standing baby gates to provide at least a visible barrier to kids and pets.
Have the following safety equipment available

• Chemical fire extinguisher
• Smoke detector in working order (check once a month and change batteries once a year.)
• Carbon monoxide detector

If you take the necessary safety precautions and remain watchful, you should be able to keep warm and toasty this winter without the risk of burning down your house.