(Chase Porter, KLIN News)
With dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills moving in this weekend many people will be using space heaters near drafty windows or doors to keep warm. LFR Public Information Officer MJ Lierman has some advice for residents planning to use one.
She says make sure you don’t overload the outlet. In addition, avoid using extension cords or power strips and don’t place a heater on carpet or any other potentially flammable surface.
Other tips include:
- Make sure the unit is sized correctly for the space you’re trying to heat.
- Check that the outlet you’re plugging your heater into has the capacity for it.
- Don’t place a heater on carpet or any other potentially flammable surface. Always place the unit on a hard, level nonflammable floor.
- Maintain clearance around a heater so adults, children and pets won’t bump into it.
- Keep it at least three feet away from anything that could burn.
- Don’t leave your heater on in rooms that aren’t occupied and turn them off and unplug them when you leave your home.