Portable Space Heater Safety

With the recent tragic event in the Bronx the Village of Wesley Hills would like to take a moment to educate the public on the use of portable heaters. Portable space heaters are used in millions of homes all year round. It is important, however, to point out that these temporary heating devices pose significant hazards and account for millions of dollars in property damage due to fires. In addition to fires, these devices can cause serious injuries such as electrical shock and burns or even worse, death. Fires and injuries occur due to electrical overloads and improper use of the portable space heaters which can cause ignition of nearby combustibles such as paper, curtains, bed linens, flammable liquids, or even clothing. Guidelines or safety precautions for the use of portable space heaters are listed below.

• Use a portable space heater which is UL (Underwriters Laboratories) listed or listed by another nationally recognized testing laboratory. Space heaters which are UL listed are tested so they meet certain safety standards.
• It is always important for the owner or operator of a unit to read and follow all manufacturers’ instructions for operation.
• Use only portable space heaters which will turn off automatically if the heater is tipped over or not upright. This is known as “tip over protection” and is accomplished by either a switch or temperature limiting controls built within the heater and varies with different manufacturers.
• Never run the portable space heater electric cord under rugs, carpet, or other materials this could cause damage to the cords and or cause other significant problems.
• Always plug a portable space heater directly into a wall receptacle or known as a wall outlet. Please never plug it into an extension cord, surge protector, or relocatable power tap (multi-outlet box device). Portable electric space heaters draw large amounts of current and the high current flow through these various connections can cause these components to deteriorate resulting in excessive heat resulting in fire.
• Never leave portable space heaters unattended and be sure to turn them off and unplug them before leaving your home or office and never on while sleeping.
• Do not use portable space heaters in damp areas, wet areas, and where water is present. ELECTRICITY AND WATER DO NOT WORK WELL TOGETHER.
• Always place a portable space heater directly on the floor on a stable surface and never on boxes, books, or other unstable objects and never place on top of a desk or table.
• Don’t place portable space heaters near exit ways or travel paths.
• Keep portable space heaters at least 3 feet (36 inches) away from all combustible materials and don’t place them next to trash or waste receptacles.
• Don’t place space heaters directly underneath desks where your legs can easily knock the space heater over.
• Use space heaters with a temperature control feature which will shut off the heater when a desired temperature is reached.
• Use space heaters equipped with a high temperature limit shut off device which will shut down the heater when components become too hot.
• Frequently check the electric cord and other parts of the space heater including the switches and protective grill cover or guard.

Best regards,

Evan Humphrey, Village of Wesley Hills Fire Inspector