Portable heater safety

We are in March and I feel terrible I am posting this so late but guess what.. We are expecting more snow over the weekend and the temperatures are still very low at night.  So you may have to rely on portable heaters to keep areas of your home warm during the low temperatures. You may be surprised the second leading cause of home fires is heating equipment or portable heaters.  So here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are using portable heaters at home to keep warm.

Any portable heater you purchase should be tested by a recognized testing laboratory. There will be a label on the box which will state the heater was tested. When you plug a heater for use always use a wall outlet never used a surge protector or an extension cord to power the portable heater. Before you plug in the heater check the plug, the wall outlet and the cord for any cracks or damage prior to any use. Also, take a moment to review the user manual instructions and warning labels prior to any use of a portable heater. If possible purchase a portable heater with an automatic shut off which means if the heater is knocked down for some reason the heater will shut off automatically.

Another safety tip is when you leave the room, go to sleep or leave the house your portable heater should be shut off. When I leave my home I unplug the heater completely so I am sure the heater is shut off.  Any heater should be placed at least three feet away from any possible material that could catch fire. The placement of the heater should not be in a high traffic area as the cord or the heater itself could pose a trip hazard.

I hope this post was helpful as always please leave a message

Mark Carvajal