| Consumers in most parts of the world rely on | | | | heaters will have the most up-to-date safety |
| space heaters and furnaces to heat their homes | | | | features while older space heaters might not |
| or to take the chill out of a cold morning. Many | | | | meet the newest safety standards. The CPSC |
| homeowners fail to follow the instructions or | | | | has worked to upgrade industry standards for |
| safety rules of their heaters. They forget for a | | | | electric, kerosene, vented and unvented gas |
| moment that death and serious injuries, including | | | | space heaters. |
| burns and carbon monoxide poisoning, affect | | | | 4. Choose a space heater with a guard around |
| thousands of Americans each year. | | | | the flame area or heating element. The heater |
| The CPSC estimates that electric space heaters | | | | should be on a level, hard, nonflammable surface. |
| are a contributing cause of 2,400 fires each year. | | | | There should not be rugs, carpets, bedding, or |
| These fires cause an average of 80 deaths, 240 | | | | drapes |
| injuries, and $48.2 million in property loss on an | | | | 5. Doors in rooms with space heaters should be |
| annual basis. In 2003, there were 10,900 residential | | | | kept open if an unvented fuel-burning space |
| fires and close to 200 deaths associated with | | | | heater. This prevents pollutant build-up and |
| portable or fixed local heaters. | | | | promotes proper combustion. |
| The CPSC recommends a number of things when | | | | 6. Never leave a space heater on while going to |
| dealing with furnaces or space heaters: | | | | bed or place it near a sleeping person. |
| 1. Any individual should hire a professional inspector | | | | One of the biggest safety features that is now |
| every year to evaluate the safety of home | | | | required on a heating device is an automatic |
| furnaces, heaters, and any other carbon | | | | cut-off device. These are required to turn off |
| monoxide emitting appliances. | | | | electric or kerosene heaters if they tip over. More |
| 2. Heaters need to be placed away from | | | | guarding around the heating coils of electric |
| flammable items, water sources, and not in high | | | | heaters and the burner of kerosene heaters also |
| traffic zones. | | | | is required to prevent fires. The CPSC worked to |
| 3. Whenever buying a new space heater, it is | | | | upgrade the industry standard for unvented gas |
| important to choose one that has been tested to | | | | heaters to provide an oxygen depletion sensor. |
| the latest safety standards and certified by a | | | | This sensor is responsible for cutting off the |
| nationally recognized testing laboratory. These | | | | heater if the oxygen level drops too low. |