Why You Should Stop Using Space Heaters Immediately
When the season of winter comes around each year, everyone tends to hate the cold ... outside and in. You know that once cold, chilly air hits, it's officially everyone's least favorite time of the year to be outside, and it's time to turn up the heat at home to stay warm and toasty.
Wintertime is when everyone likes to break out the space heater, but at what cost? Even though they've been known as a good source of heat, space heaters are not actually as safe or recommended as people think they are. According to Global, fires are more likely to happen during the colder months of the year. That must be surprising to hear, considering how cold it can get during the winter months, but fires in the winter are more common due to the usage of cookers, electric heaters, smart home systems, as well as other home appliances because they're fire hazards. 79% of deadly home fires were due to the use of space heaters, according to the National Fire Protection Agency (via Best Life Online). That's an extremely high percentage and one that could be avoided if more people were aware of how dangerous using space heaters can be.
They're a lot more dangerous than you think
Space heaters have electrical coils behind a metal screen that produce heat, so they are relatively simple to use because they are an easy go-to. They only require electricity and are not smart, tech-savvy gadgets. This can be a problem, according to Global, because they don't have the safety measures needed, such as an automatic shutdown to prevent a fire from happening if it fell over or otherwise (though some do have this safety feature). When a space heater is knocked over, it can cause an instant chain reaction which then causes home fires to erupt and spread instantly.
According to Global, space heaters are a main fire hazard as they are responsible for almost one-third of home fires adding up to over 30,000 every year. Many space heaters are outdated and don't have the proper maintenance for safety, considering a lot of people are moving on to smart technology for their homes. If you're looking to get rid of your space heater or upgrade your heating system, HVAC systems are safe and recommended.