As the months grow colder and the days grow shorter, we’re going to be needing a way to keep ourselves warm. Space heaters have enjoyed a boom in popularity in recent years and it’s not hard to see why. They’re small, easily moveable, fairly cheap to operate, and do a good enough job of spot-heating a given room. That said, space heaters can prove extremely dangerous if you’re not careful with their implementation. Here’s how to stay warm and safe with space heaters in your Indianola home.
Limit Usage
While this may seem counterintuitive to keeping your space as warm as possible, overuse of heaters can prove disastrous. When left on and unattended for long periods, space heaters are more likely to start a fire than any other home appliance. The heat generated by the device can warm up surrounding items to the point of combustion. By limiting usage, you can keep eyes on the device at all times when operating and ensure that nothing goes awry.
Plug the Heater into the Wall On its Own
A space heater should only ever be plugged into a wall outlet that isn’t shared by another device. The reason being that these devices take up a lot of power, and should not be encumbered by other devices or plugged into extension cords or the like. Always plug your space heaters into the wall of your Indianola home, or face an electrical nightmare.
Regularly Check the Heater and Wire for Heat
Obviously, there should be some heat coming from the heater when plugged in and on. But you should be checking exactly how hot it is every so often. This is especially true of the plug and the outlet. If either of these is hot in the slightest, discontinue use of the heater immediately. These are surefire signs of an impending electrical fire.
Store Space Heaters Responsibly
Once you’ve determined which room you want to place your heater in, you need to make sure that you put it in a safe, but effective location. Placing the heater on a self, cupboard, near a water source, or near heavily-trafficked areas of the room. Heaters represent a sizable fire hazard when they are in contact with flammable surfaces like wood countertops and curtains, and it goes without saying that water and electrical appliances never mix.
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