With winter right at the doorstep, many homeowners are preparing to fire up their space heaters to give them and their families the much-needed warmth. However, some homeowners are still wondering whether the space heaters are safe to use while others are questioning the efficiency of portable space heaters vis-à-vis home systems. This article addresses these and many other questions.

Safety of Space Heaters

In the period from 2009 to 2013, about 405 of home heating fires were caused by space heaters. These fires were in turn responsible for about 84% of residential heating fire deaths. Because of these statistics, it is understandable for anyone to question the safety of space heaters.

Surprisingly, space heaters in themselves are considered safe as long as they meet certain thresholds as stipulated by consumer safety standards. Safety issues usually arise when the usage of space heaters is not in line with safe practices. The top causes of space heater fires include:

• Operating space heaters in close proximity to items that are flammable
• Running space heaters while unattended
• Operating fuel burning space heaters with chimneys that are dirty

There are two classes of space heaters: fuel burning space heaters and electric space heaters. When operating electric space heaters, ensure the area around them is clear always. At least 3-foot radius around the heater should be free of toys, blankets, papers, and other flammable materials.

Children should be kept away from space heaters to avoid cases of accidental burns or tipping of space heaters. The child-free zone should be around 3-foot radius from the space heater. The space heater should be installed on a flat surface and never be plugged onto an extension code, but rather a wall socket.

For the fuel-burning space heaters, only use the appropriate fuels as recommended by the manufacturer. Because of the smoke and gases from the combustion, ensure adequate ventilation and any time you smell gas, stop using the space heater.

Energy Efficiency of Space Heaters

To determine whether space heaters are more energy efficient compared to central heating systems, you must find out the total energy consumed by the space heater and the efficiency of the central heating system. You should also factor in the cost of the utility power required to run each system or in the case of fuel burning space heaters, the fuel costs. The temperature of the office or home is also a variable to be considered.

On a general sense, electric space heaters are not as efficient as HVAC systems. However, if you have a few rooms to be heated, space heaters can be more efficient and cost effective. If you have a business heating system that cannot for one reason or another heat any particular room effectively, you can resort to a space heater.

Ensure that you always pick a space heater that has sufficient capacity to heat your room. Oversized heaters lead to space wastage while low wattage models tend to consume less energy.