How do I know if my space heater works?
" I have kept it in my crawlspace all summer and it smells a bit funny when i plug it in..." - Anon...
Oh boy, here we go…
It's that time of year again, when we throw all common sense out the window and go with whatever seems to work.
I wouldn't use a brand new space heater that smelled funny let alone one I drug out from under my crawlspace where who knows what has been using it for who knows what for who knows how long.
Here are some space heater pointers to help keep you warm and alive when it is chilly outside:
- Only use space heating equipment that has the UL Mark.
- Space heaters should be used to only heat spaces, not to dry clothes or heat food.
- Keep a 3-foot zone around your space heater free of anything flammable.
- Turn off your space heater when you leave the room or when you go to sleep for the night.
- Make sure the wiring is sound on your heater and that the connections are tight.
- When buying a new space heater (George pay attention) look for one with an automatic shut-off feature and with heating element guards.
In a nutshell - treat your space heater like you would an open flame and you should be ok.