Space heater safety tips

Birmingham Fire & Resue Service offers some safety tips to help residents properly use space heaters.

-Remember that space heaters are temporary heat sources and should not be used for extended periods of time. Electric space heaters use a lot of energy and may cause an electrical short that can lead to a fire.

-Space heaters need space. Place them at least three feet away from anything that could potentially burn. That includes beds, sheets, curtains, and furniture.

-Keep children and animals away from space heaters.

- Never leave space heaters unattended. If you must leave the room, turn the heater off.

-Never wear loose fitting clothes near a space heater.

-Never use an electric space heater in the bathroom or near water.

-Never place anything on top of a space heater.

-Don't use a space heater to dry items.

-Buy a space heater with an automatic tip-over switch. These will turn it off in the event it's knocked over.

-Only use space heaters that have been tested and approved by an accredited laboratory.

-Space heaters should be properly cleaned like other machines. Check it for dust, lint and paper.

-Check wires on the space heater to make sure they aren't frayed, broken or exposed.

-If you use a kerosene heater, keep the room well-ventilated to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

-Before refueling a kerosene heater, make sure the machine has cooled, use the proper fuel and always refill outside the house.

-Have a working smoke detector on every level of your residence in the event there is a fire.

-Plan and practice home exti drills in the event of a fire.

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