Experts share dangers of a space heater in homes when used during winter

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Space heaters could possibly be the cause to start fires because a lot of residents use them to produce quick heat in houses.

If space heaters are used the wrong way, they could possibly cause a fire in a home.

“A majority of the time when you hear about house fires caused by a space heater, it was because they were too close to either a blanket hanging off from the bed down close to the floor, or it got close enough to some curtains where it heated that material up,” said Steve Torrell, member services manager at Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative.

Horrell advises that all items around the heater should be at least three feet away and also recommends to not plug them into extension cords.

“They need to be plugged in directly to a wall plug, they are not designed to be plugged into an extension cord and especially some of the lighter extension cords, like a lamp cord, because when you do that, that particular cord has a tendency to heat up itself and that can be a fire hazard,” said Horrell.

Keeping them on the ground is also a good idea.

“They need to always be down on the floor, you don’t want them up on a countertop or a bench,” said Horrell.

You don’t want to leave the room for a good amount of time when they’re plugged in.

“You have to keep an eye on it and you need to be in the same room most of the time that space heater is going, it’s okay to leave for a few seconds but if you’re going to be gone any time at all, you sure don’t want to leave the room and go take a nap and leave the space heater going on out in the living room or something like that, that would definitely be a problem,” said Horrell.

Horrell also advises that space heaters should be highly monitored, especially around children or pets.

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