General Safety Tips for use Heater

While electric heaters can and do start fires

, the vast majority of these are totally preventable if the user of the heater had followed basic safety precautions:

Don't overload circuits or outlets. Never use a small lamp-type extension cord for a heater, as the heater's high wattage (1200 to 1500) far exceeds these cords rated capacity. It's best not to plug a heater into an extension cord at all, but if you have to, use a minimum of a 14 gauge (AWG 14) extension cord rated for more than the heater's wattage.

Make sure the outlet into which the heater is plugged is in good shape. If the heater's plug is held loosely in the outlet and tends to fall out, the outlet is worn out and should not be used to power the heater. Plug it in somewhere else or have the receptacle replaced, because a loose fitting plug will tend to get hot due to the fact that it's not making good contact inside the receptacle.

A heater poses an especially hard load on your home's wiring because 1200 to 1500 watts is a lot of power to draw through a circuit which may already have other things plugged into it. If you have an older home, consider a heater of 1200 or 1300 watts rather than the maximum allowable 1500, since that leaves a little extra capacity for other things that might be plugged in. Alternatively, consider a multiple wattage model that can be set to run on 750 or 1000 watts rather than 1500.

Use natural convection heaters, especially radiators, where possible. These are the safest type of electric heater because while their surface does get quite warm, it is not hot enough to burn people, and also is probably not hot enough to start most household materials on fire. They do not depend on a fan to keep the elements cool, so there is very little chance of a unit malfunctioning and overheating.

Be extra careful using heaters in bedrooms. Covers or blankets inadvertantly tossed off the bed during the night can cover a heater and start a fire. It's best by far not to operate any type of electric heater unless someone is awake to keep an eye on it, but if you have no choice, use a radiator or baseboard unit and place it where there is good airflow around it and no chance of anything falling onto or into it.

Shopping for the right type of heater and using it carefully can ensure that you not only stay warm on those cold nights but also that you and your family stays safe.

General Safety Tips for use Heater

By: warraphat

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