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Space heaters are true life savers, well, or at least they help keep you warm. At any rate, space heaters, especially low-grade space heaters, have been known to short out and they can pose certain safety risks.
Where to place a space heater to avoid fire risks is what we are here to talk about today.
Avoid Fabrics of All Sorts
One tip to follow when placing your space heater is to keep it away from any kind of flammable fabric or upholstery. Space heaters can get really hot, even the exterior.
Have you ever had a space heater running on full blast for a few hours? If you touch it, you know that they can get super-hot.
The same goes for the cords. This is especially true at the front where the warm air actually comes out, and in the rear where the heating coils are. Simply put, don’t place a space heater in close proximity to curtains, clothing, or upholstered furniture.
Place It On a Flat and Even Surface
Another tip to keep in mind when placing your space heater is to have it on a flat and even surface. For one, if your space heater is not on a flat and even surface, it can cause uneven heating on the inside and mess with electrical components, although this is fairly rare.
With that being said, the major problem comes when you have a space heater with wheels. If it is on an uneven surface, there is the potential that it could roll.
Maybe it will roll towards a wall, maybe towards the couch, or in any other direction. The point is that you don’t want the space heater rolling somewhere it is not meant to go.
Avoid Corners or Being Too Close to Walls
The next tip that you need to follow if you plan on having your space running through the winter, is to make sure that it is not placed in a corner or too close to a wall, even if not in a corner.
As we mentioned several times, these heaters can get really hot, and if a space heater is in a corner, it is going to have a hard time sucking in fresh air to heat up, which on its own will stress the heater.
Moreover, if it is in a corner, the heat it puts out won’t distribute as well, and cause the heater itself to heat up even more. Worst case scenario, the heater is too close to the wall and the socket it is plugged into, causing the cord and plug to overheat, short out, and possibly cause a fire.
Anyway, keep your space heater at least 2 or 3 feet from any wall, and even further out if near a corner.
Not in the Kitchen or Bathroom
Yet another important thing to keep in mind if you are using a space heater is that you never want it to be placed in an area where there is a potential for it to come into contact with water. Water and electricity just don’t mix, and it can cause serious short circuits.
Never have a space heater in a kitchen bathroom, or anywhere else where it could have water spilled on it. A splash of water from the sink or a spilled glass of water is more than enough to ruin a space heater, cause some sparks, and start a fire. Just keep these things away from water.
Plug It In Properly
When placing your space heater, also make sure that you plug it in properly. Never plug a space heater into any kind of power strip.
Power strips and power bars just are not cut out to handle the increased amount of current and voltage which a space heater needs to produce that cozy warmth.
Something like 40% of all US home heating fires are caused by space heaters, usually from them being left on too long when plugged into a power strip. Plug the space heater directly into the wall, and never plug in other electrical appliances into the same outlet.
Conclusion
There you have the 5 tips you need to follow when placing your space heater to ensure that you are both warm and safe.