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Is it Safe to Leave a Space Heater Running?

According to the Harvard University website, portable space heaters have a higher risk of causing a fire than other sources of heating, such as central heating systems. The highest risk of injury and death associated with space heaters is linked to room gas heaters, portable kerosene heaters and portable electric heaters, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

  1. Space Heaters

    • According to the U.S. Department of Energy space heaters are small heaters used to heat single rooms or small areas of a building. Space heaters are usually used when a central heating system is inadequate or too costly to install or maintain. Space heaters are often used by people with a sensitivity to cold temperatures who wish to heat a single room without heating a whole house that is not being used.

    Safety

    • The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that space heaters should be used when an individual is available to check on the status of the heater and surrounding areas. Electric space heaters, which do not typically use a naked flame, have the ability to heat an area surrounding the heater to a temperature capable of igniting combustible materials. Areas at risk from fire around space heaters are curtains, clothing, furniture and carpets directly beneath the space heater. The CPSC reports operating a space heater in kitchens and bathrooms is also hazardous. Running an electric space heater near a water source is especially dangerous.

    Fire

    • According to the National Fire Protection Association a space heater should not be left running without a person available to supervise its use. Portable and fixed-space heaters were the cause of two of every three home heating fires in 2001, according to the National Fire Protection Association. The 54,900 home heating fires in 2001 were responsible for the deaths of 220 people. During the same year 1,120 people received hospital treatment for fire-related injuries. The association said kerosene space heaters, the use of which is prohibited by law in some states, pose the highest risk of fire.

    Non-Fire

    • Concerns about the safe use of space heaters are not restricted to the fire hazards they pose. Harvard University’s environmental health and safety group notes that some space heaters also involve risks of carbon monoxide inhalation.

    Precautions

    • The CPSC reports that a space heater should not be used when the operator is not in attendance and should not be used while the operator is sleeping. To ensure the safety of people within a building where space heaters are in operation at least one smoke detector should be working on each floor of the building.

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