Everything You Need to Know About Portable Space Heater Safety | SERVPRO of Alamo Heights

10/25/2021 (Permalink)

With cold weather just around the corner, you may be considering using a space heater to help knock off the chill in certain areas of your house. Some rooms may not get sufficient heat from the central heating system in your house, so this is where space heaters come in handy. There are a lot of portable space heaters you can choose from, and it can be overwhelming, but we are here to help! We know the safety features you need to look for and the proper precautions to take to make sure your home is safe and comfortable.

Heating is the second most common cause of house fires, second only to cooking, according to the National Safety Council. Additionally, most heating related fires are caused by space heaters. Fires can wreak havoc on your home and your health, so getting fire damage restoration as soon as possible is important. At SERVPRO of Alamo Heights, we are dedicated to providing educational resources to all the residents of San Antonio TX and surrounding areas to help reduce the risk of space heater related fires. As a full-service restoration company, we also provide residents with efficient fire damage restoration if the damage has already been done. 

What to Look for in a Space Heater

With so many portable space heaters available on the market today, it’s important to make sure you’re getting a high-quality and safe one. There are several different types of electric space heaters including ceramic heaters, fan heaters, infrared heaters, and oil-filled heaters. All these types of heaters have their pros and cons, but always make sure to read the instructions and operation manual before using a new space heater.  

Refer to this checklist when searching for a reliable space heater:

1. Always check that the portable space heater has the seal of a qualified testing laboratory before you purchase it. 
2. Some portable space heaters are equipped with advanced technology that allow it to automatically shut off if it falls over. This is a very useful feature as a tipped over space heater can quickly lead to a fire. 
3. Similarly, some space heaters are designed with a thermostat that turns off if it detects the space heater is overheating. 

Space Heater Safety Tips

While portable space heaters are small in size, they still require a great deal of wattage and provide a significant amount of heat to warm small rooms. Because of this, you should always plug your space heater into a wall outlet and not a surge protector or power strip. Wall outlets can handle a much higher wattage than the alternatives, decreasing the chance of a fire due to overheating. Even though surge protectors can protect against power surges, they are more prone to overheat when powering a space heater due to their limited wattage. Even an extension cord can potentially overheat when powering a portable space heater. This may be inconvenient, but protecting your home from a fire caused by improper space heater use is well worth it! 

Follow these additional guidelines to proper space heater use to prevent house fires and injuries:

1. It’s very important that you keep all flammable materials away from your space heater. When flammable materials such as paper, clothing, blankets, and drapes are too close to your space heater, it can cause house fires. These materials must be kept at least 3 feet away from the space heater. For the same reason, it is recommended that space heaters are used on a level, non-flammable surface such as ceramic tile, rather than carpets and rugs. 
2. Make sure the cords of your space heater are free from any frays or cracks and that all connections are secure. 
3. To minimize the risk of burns, keep kids and pets away from portable space heaters.
4. Read the operation manual thoroughly before using it.
5. Turn your space heater off when you leave the room or go to bed.  
6. Lastly, but no less important, make sure your smoke detectors are working properly at all times. This will allow you to catch a fire hazard before it escalates into a full-fledged fire. 

If you follow these simple precautions, you will be able to enjoy the warmth of your space heater without the looming threat of a house fire.

What to do if Your Space Heater Causes a Fire

Accidents can happen even when you have done everything you can to prevent a fire caused by a portable space heater. In the event you have a house fire, there are several steps you should take immediately. In order to keep everyone in your house safe, as well as prevent serious fire damage, you must extinguish the fire as quickly as possible. Keeping a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket in the house is a good precautionary measure as they are effective at putting out fires. If you are not able to extinguish the fire yourself, evacuate the premises immediately and call your local fire department.

Once the fire is extinguished, you can move onto the next step - returning your home to it’s pre-fire state by calling SERVPRO of Alamo Heights. When we arrive, we will begin our thorough fire damage repair process. This includes:

1. Inspection and fire damage assessment: We will carefully inspect every part of your home that was affected by the fire. This is an important step in helping us decide on the most appropriate course of action to repair your home.
2. Board-up and roof-tarping: If the fire compromised your home’s doors, walls, windows, or roof, we will board up missing windows and walls and place a tarp on your roof to prevent any further damage and maintain your home’s privacy and security. 
3. Removal of smoke and soot: Fire damage often results in a great deal of smoke and soot covering the surfaces in your home. Not only does smoke and soot smell unpleasant, but breathing it can lead to health effects. Using our specialized equipment, we will remove all of the smoke and soot from your home.
4. Cleaning and Sanitizing: Using trusted techniques, we clean and sanitize everything that can be saved that was damaged in the fire. We will also remove odors with industrial air-scrubbers and fogging equipment.
5. Restoration: The final step is restoration. This may include replacing drywall and carpets, painting, or even reconstructing entire areas of your home. 

When you call SERVPRO of Alamo Heights, our fire damage restoration professionals will return your home to perfect condition quickly and reliably. We are available 24/7 for all your fire damage emergencies. When you need fire damage restoration, don’t wait! Give us a call at (210) 822-2063 and we will help you every step of the way.