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Keep areas around heat sources free of papers and combustible materials. Store paints, solvents and flammable liquids away from all heat and ignition sources. Use flashlights or chemical light sticks instead of candles or lanterns to reduce fire risks. A space heater is a self-contained, free standing air heating appliance intended for installation in the space being heated and not intended for duct connection. Fuel-burning space heaters also can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and indoor air pollution because of improper venting or incomplete combustion. Choose a space heater that is either ULC or CSA approved. These heaters will have the most up-to-date safety features and the manufacturer will provide important use and care information to the consumer. An automatic cut-off device is required to turn off electric or kerosene heaters if they tip over. Buy a heater that is the correct size for the area you want to heat. The wrong size heater could produce pollutants and may not be an efficient use of energy. Select a space heater with a guard around the flame area or heating element. Place the heater on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Place heaters in areas where there is little chance someone will bump into it. Keep the heater at least three feet from bedding, drapes, furniture, or other flammable materials or liquids. Space heaters should be located in plain sight and clearly visible. Space heaters must be kept at least 3 feet away from any combustible material. Nothing should ever be placed on top of or touching a space heater and never use heaters to dry clothes or shoes. Keep doors open to the rest of the house if using an unvented fuel-burning space heater. This helps prevent pollutant build-up and promotes proper combustion. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to provide sufficient combustion air to prevent carbon monoxide build-up. Keep an outside window opened approximately an inch to insure adequate fresh air infiltration. This is true regardless of whether you use a kerosene heater or some other conventional method of heating, if your home is relatively new and tight, or if it is older but has been winterized to reduce air infiltration from the outside. Never leave a space heater on when going to sleep. Space heaters must always be turned off and unplugged when the area being heated is not occupied. Keep children and pets away from space heaters - the surface temperature of the heater may reach as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Have gas and kerosene space heaters inspected annually and repaired by qualified technicians to ensure that they are clean and safe to operate. Keep the wick of the kerosene heater clean and properly adjusted. Appliances that are not working properly can release harmful and even fatal amounts of pollutants and carbon monoxide. Replace missing guards and controls at once. Never operate a defective heater. Read and follow the manufacturer's operating instructions. Keep the owner's manual in a convenient place to refer to when needed. HAZARDS: Consumers should be aware of the hazards when buying and using gas, kerosene, and electric space heaters. Fires and burns may occur from contact with or close proximity to the flame, heating element, or hot surface area. Fires and explosions may be caused by flammable fuels or defective wiring. Indoor air pollution or carbon monoxide poisoning can be caused by improper venting or incomplete combustion of fuel-burning equipment. Electric Space Heaters Newer portable electric heaters include many performance requirements to enhance safety. Electric space heaters should be equipped with a tip-over switch to turn the heater off until it is turned upright again. Electric space heaters also include indicator lights to let users know that the heater is turned on. Always use heaters on the floor. Never place heaters on furniture, since they may fall, dislodging or breaking parts in the heater, which could result in a fire or shock hazard. Unless certified for that purpose, do not use heaters in wet or moist places, such as bathrooms; corrosion or other damage to parts in the heater may lead to a fire or shock hazard. Electric space heaters should always be directly plugged into a wall receptacle. Do not hide cords under rugs or carpets. Placing anything on top of the cord could cause the cord to overheat, and can cause a fire. Do not use an extension cord unless absolutely necessary. If you must use an extension cord, it must be marked #14 or #12 AWG. Only use extension cords bearing the label of an independent testing laboratory such a ULC or CSA. Be sure the plug fits snugly in the outlet. A loose plug can overheat. Since heaters draw lots of power, the cord and plug may feel warm. If the plug feels hot, unplug the heater and have a qualified electrician check for problems. If the heater and its plug are found to be working properly, you may need to have the outlet replaced. Using a heater with a hot cord or plug could start a fire. If a heater is used on an outlet protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) and the GFCI trips, do not assume the GFCI is broken. Because GFCIs protect the location where leakage currents can cause a severe shock, stop using the heater and have it checked, even it if seems to be working properly. Broken heaters should be checked and repaired by a qualified electrician or an appliance service center. Do not attempt to repair, adjust or replace parts in the heater yourself. Gas Space Heaters
Always have your gas heater and venting system professionally installed and inspected according to local codes. Vented gas-fired heaters can also cause carbon monoxide poisoning if they are not vented properly. If your space heater is meant to be vented, be sure that the heater and flue are professionally installed according to manufacturer's specifications and local codes. Vent systems require regular maintenance and inspections to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Be aware that older gas-fired space heaters may not be equipped with the safety devices required by current standards. If the pilot light on your heater should go out, you should light the match before you turn on the gas to the pilot. This avoids the risk of a flashback, which could occur if you allow gas to accumulate before you are ready to light the pilot. If you smell gas, do NOT attempt to light the appliance. Turn off all controls and open a window or door and leave the area. Then call a gas service person. Do not touch any electrical switches. Remember that LP-gas (propane), unlike natural gas supplied from the gas utility distribution pipes, is heavier than air. If you believe a leak has occurred, go to a neighbour's phone to call your gas distributor or fire department. Do not operate any electrical switches or telephones in the building where the leak has occurred because a spark could cause an explosion or fire. Kerosene Space Heaters Most portable kerosene heaters are similar in design. They include a wick for kerosene to be drawn from the tank to the combustion area, a device for igniting the wick, an automatic tip-over device designed to extinguish the wick if the unit is kicked or turned over and a fuel tank. Newer portable kerosene heaters are equipped with such features as battery-powered ignition devices, automatic extinguishing devices, fuel gauges, protective metal grills, leveling indicators, carrying handles, lift-out fuel canisters and decorator finishes. Many also have a wide base to prevent easy tip-over. However, many fire officials, government agencies and safety specialists feel the heaters are not hazard-free and feel kerosene heaters present hazards not found with other heating systems. The major hazard is fire that could result from the use of gasoline instead of kerosene in the heater. Carelessness while refueling and improper storage of combustible liquids are also hazardous. Many health officials are also concerned about health hazards from the pollutants an unvented kerosene heater puts into the building. Before purchasing or using a kerosene heater, consumers must learn the safety and maintenance procedures necessary to safely operate a kerosene heater, and make sure local building and fire codes permit its use in residential structures. Check with your insurance carrier to determine what impact the use of these heaters may have on your homeowner's policy. Be sure your heater is in good working condition. Inspect exhaust parts for carbon build-up, and be sure the heater has an emergency shut off in case the heater is tipped over. Read and follow the procedures and safety alerts in the owner's manual before you attempt to operate, service or perform maintenance on the heater. Never use gasoline in a kerosene heater. Even very small quantities of gasoline in the heater tank can cause a fire. Kerosene should never be stored or carried in a container that has had gasoline because the residual gasoline is enough to increase the flammability of the kerosene. Only use 1-K kerosene in kerosene heaters. Kerosene should be purchased from a dealer who can certify that it is 1-K grade kerosene. The fact that kerosene is "water clear" does not ensure that it is 1-K, since both 1-K and 2-K can appear clear. In addition, never use diesel, jet "A" fuel, No. 1 fuel oil, No. 2 fuel oil or gasoline in your heater. The use of any of these fuels could result in a fire or explosion that could cause death or injury. Never fill the fuel tank of a kerosene heater beyond the full mark because as the fuel warms, it expands and could spill and cause a fire. When refueling the heater, leave sufficient space for fuel expansion. Follow manufacturer's refueling directions found in the owner's manual. Do not attempt to remove the fuel tank, or refuel the heater when it is operating or hot. The heater should not be moved while it is operating. If flare-up or uncontrolled flaming occurs, do not attempt to move the heater. If your heater is equipped with a manual shut-off switch, activate the switch to turn off the heater. Do not attempt to extinguish a kerosene-heater fire with water or blankets. If activation of the shut-off switch does not extinguish the flame, leave the area and immediately call the fire department. Keep kerosene stored outside in a sealed blue container labeled "Kerosene." Always refuel the cool heater outside in a well-ventilated area away from other ignition sources. If kerosene is spilled on a hot heater, it could ignite and cause a fire. Refueling should also be done in an area where small spills can be cleaned up quickly. Never store kerosene in a red container that could easily be mistaken as a gasoline storage container. Keep kerosene, or other flammable liquids stored in approved metal containers, in well-ventilated storage areas, outside of the house.
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The
high cost of home heating fuels and utilities
have caused many people to search for alternate
sources of home heating - namely portable space
heaters. These methods of supplemental heating
may be acceptable; however, they are a major
contributing factor in residential fires. Space
heaters are the leading cause of home fires
during December, January and February-but such
disasters can be prevented with a few simple
precautions.
All
unvented gas-fired space heaters should be
equipped with an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS)
which detects a reduced level of oxygen in the
area where the heater is operating and shuts off
the heater before a hazardous level of carbon
monoxide accumulates.