Fire Division
Space Heater Safety Tips
According to the
NFPA, heating is a leading cause of US home fires and home fire injuries and third leading cause of home fire deaths. Space heaters are the type of equipment most often involved in home heating equipment fires, accounting for one-third of the fires, as well as the vast majority of deaths and injuries in home fires caused by heating equipment.
The NFPA offers these tips for safe space heater use:
• Purchase a heater with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory.
• Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including people.
• Choose a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection.
• Place the heater on a solid, flat surface.
• Make sure your heater has an auto shut-off to turn the heater off if it tips over.
• Keep space heaters out of the way of foot traffic.
• Never block an exit.
• Keep children away from the space heater.
• Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet.
• Never use an extension cord.
• Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to bed.
If your space heater catches fire, call 911 immediately. If possible, close the door to the room where the space heater is located before exiting the building.