Winter is here and with that comes colder temperatures and the use of space heaters. Making sure to follow the manufacturers guidelines is very important and Monmouth Fire Captain Craig Cozadd advises if it uses fire, don’t use the heater in the house:
“It is an alternative heat source and they are tested, but again, you have to follow the manufactures guidelines and use the proper unit where it is supposed to be used. If it is made for a garage, don’t use it inside your house. Obviously if it puts out an open flame or if it takes fuel, if should not be inside the house because it puts out carbon monoxide and things like that. As far as a space heater goes, they give requirements mainly made to be plugged directly into a wall outlet, not into a power strip or into a drop cord. They actually draw a lot of amperage and it may not be the space heater itself that starts a fire, it could be the draw it is pulling from the actual circuit and the fire may happen between the heater and the actual circuit breaker box or somewhere in line because it is drawing so much current that it is not supposed to draw.”
As for placement of carbon monoxide detectors in the home, per an Illinois law, the detectors are to be placed within 15 feet of every sleeping area in the house with a gas fired appliance or an attached garage.
