When there’s a particularly bitter chill in the air during winter months, homeowners sometimes turn to portable heaters to add some extra warmth to their homes.
If you use a space heater, be vigilant about using them safely.
In 2010, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 57,100 reported home structure fires in the United States. These fires resulted in 490 deaths, 1,540 injuries and more than $1 billion in property damage. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 25,000 residential fires are associated with space heaters. It is also estimated that 6,000 people receive care in hospital emergency rooms for burn injuries associated with space heaters.
Follow these space heater safety tips to ensure you don’t become a statistic:
This article contains information and tips from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Laura King-Homan is the managing editor of The Wire and a brand journalism strategist at Omaha Public Power District. She has nearly 20 years of print journalism and design experience, including the Omaha World-Herald.
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