Space heater safety

Tuesday, January 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

With one of the coldest winters in recent memory blasting icy weather and chilly temperatures to every corner of the country, homeowners might be tempted to crank the thermostat to keep every part of the house toasty warm. But with fuel prices sky high, a good alternative might be to just temporarily heat the area that people are in with a space heater. But you can't just turn one on and forget about it.

"Approximately 100,000 home fires occur every year as a result of space heaters," says John Drengenberg of Underwriters Laboratories. "Also 600 people die from these fires. In addition to that 20,000 people make emergency room visits each year as a result of injuries from space heaters."

Safety Advice

Choose a space heater that has a tip-over shut off feature. Remember that a space heater shouldn't be left on overnight and is an appliance that needs to be watched closely.

"It is extremely important to make sure that you never leave children unsupervised in a room with space heaters," says Drengenberg. "Also make sure the space heater is located at least three feet from combustibles such as furniture, drapery, curtains and especially bedding."

Safety experts warn against using an extension cord with space heaters and to always look for one that's been thoroughly tested by an independent laboratory. If you'd like more information on space heater safety, visit Underwriters Laboratories' website at ul.com.