Fire Safety: Space Heater Edition

3/5/2021 (Permalink)

Horry & Georgetown looks for ways to make chilly areas warm and comfortable in the colder months of the year. While space heaters can be useful to keep small areas warm, it's essential to use them with caution. Using a space heater can be safe if you follow these simple recommendations.

Heating

• Have a three-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires and space heaters.
• Supervise children when a fireplace, fire pit, or other space heater is being used. Use a sturdy, metal screen to prevent contact burns, which are even more common than flame burns.
• All heaters need space. Keep things that can burn, such as paper, bedding, or furniture, at least 3 feet away from heating equipment.
• Use heating equipment that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
• Never use your oven for heating.
• According to the local codes and manufacturer's instructions, install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters, or central heating equipment.
• Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.

Portable electric space heaters

• Turn heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
• Use and purchase portable space heaters with an automatic shut-off, so they will shut off if they're tipped over.
• A place space heater on a stable, flat surface.
• Plug power cords directly into outlets and never into an extension cord.
• Inspect for cracked or damaged, broken plugs, or lose connections. Replace before using.

Fuel-burning space heaters

• Always use the proper fuel as specified by the manufacturer.
• When refueling, allow the appliance to cool and refuel outside or in a well-ventilated area.
• When using the heater, open a window to ensure proper ventilation.
• In portable kerosene or other liquid-fueled space heaters, always use the proper grade of the appropriate fuel.
• All new unvented gas-fired space heaters have an oxygen depletion sensor that detects a reduced level of oxygen in the area where the heater is operating and shuts off the heater before a hazardous carbon level monoxide accumulates. If you have an older heater without this feature, replace it.
• If your gas heater's pilot light goes out, allow 5 minutes or more for the gas to go away before trying again, do not allow gas to accumulate, and light the match before you turn on the gas to the pilot to avoid the risk of flashback.
• If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not attempt to light the appliance. Turn off all the controls and open doors and windows. 

SERVPRO of Horry & Georgetown County is here to help you recover from any fire. Our trained technicians will remove the smoke and soot from your home. Call us at 843-236-6278 for any fire restoration needs!