While there are still plenty of fun things to do during the winter months, the number one priority is to stay warm. Even after a fun day of skiing or sledding, coming home to a nice warm environment to relax in is the best way to end the day.
There are a wide variety of ways that people stay warm during the winter months. Most have a furnace or heat pump in their homes that pushes warm air out of strategically placed vents. Others have a fireplace that heats up the rooms of the house by burning wood or wood chips. Regardless of what kind of heating source your home has, space heaters are a great way to target hot air to areas of the home that don’t quite get warm enough.
Space heaters can be either electrical or run off of natural gas or kerosene. There are some that are approved for outdoors and others that are approved for indoor use. In all cases, it is essential that you use your space heater safely, and by the recommendations of the manufacturer.
Here are some safety tips that you can follow if you use space heaters in your home:
- Do not use space heaters that are approved for outdoor use, inside of your home. These heaters are designed to be used in areas that are well-ventilated and your home is not. This could lead to a serious build-up of carbon monoxide inside of your home, which is an extremely dangerous situation for you and your family.
- Make sure that you have carbon monoxide and smoke alarms installed in all proper places throughout your home. These safety items can detect when circumstances are unsafe for you and your family, even when you are asleep. You will be alerted and that could give you just the amount of time that you and your family need to get out of the house.
- If you are not using your space heater, it should be turned off and unplugged. Space heaters should never be unattended when it is in use. A small house fire will grow quickly but, if it is detected as soon as possible, the situation can be contained and family members can get to safety.
Using space heaters is a good way to ensure that you and your family are kept warm all throughout the winter. But, as with all electrical appliances, space heaters should be used thoughtfully and with safety measures taken.