According to the National Fire Protection Association, space heaters (electric and non-electric) account for 33% of all winter house fires. However, this statistic is misleading because it implies that a vast number of all space heaters are inherently unsafe; which is not the case.
Rather, it's the improper use of the space heater, not the heater itself, that is responsible for a third of all winter house fires. And approximately half of these fires are the result of locating the heating appliance too close to combustible items such as furniture, bedding, clothing and draperies.
Of course, defective heating devices appear on the market from time to time, but a recall is a rare event.
For years, one of the most important electric heater safety tips was to always plug it directly into the wall outlet and never use an extension cord. This warning extended to power strips as well as surge protectors.
But, just like conventional medical wisdom changes from time to time (or day-to-day), so also does the thinking about best practices for space heater safety - at least according to a recent investigative piece from the Fox News affiliate in Indianapolis, Indiana.
