Space Heater Safety

12/26/2019 (Permalink)

In the event that you experience fire, smoke or soot damage, call the certified fire restoration technicians at SERVPRO Southwest Waukesha County!

If you are like us, you live in Wisconsin. Which tend to be cold, snowy and icy. Electric space heaters are generally more expensive to operate than combustion space heaters, but they are the only unvented space heaters that are safe to operate inside your home. Although electric space heaters avoid indoor air quality concerns, they still pose burn and fire hazards and should be used with caution. These wonderful devices that we love so much, actually cause thousands of fires per year totaling millions of dollars worth of damage.  

Always Inspect your heater for cracked, broken, or loose plug connections before each use. If frayed, worn or damaged, do not use the heater. If you have pets and children at home, make sure to keep your heater in a safe space away from them.

Truly, these machines are only meant to provide supplemental heat and should never be used to warm bedding, cook food, dry clothing or thaw pipes. It may sound crazy, but yes, these are the types of actions that lead to fires.. and people do them all the time.

Keep in mind the placement of space heater. Heaters must be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including papers, clothing and rugs. Always plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Do not use an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat and result in a fire.

Please don’t ever place heaters on cabinets, tables, furniture, or carpet, which can overheat and start a fire. And most importantly, when winter is over and you are getting ready to store away all of your things, allow proper cool time for your heater before putting it away.

In the event that you experience fire, smoke or soot damage, call the certified fire and smoke restoration technicians at SERVPRO of Southwest Waukesha County (262) 542 -0900.