It is extremely common for an individual to use an indoor space heater throughout the colder months. This is particularly true when there is a problem with your HVAC system that causes cold spots or irregular temperatures through your home. It is crucial to ensure that you understand the risks of indoor space heaters to enable you to make the safest decisions regarding the comfort level of your home. While space heaters may be an easy way to heat up a single area, it is often better to use your HVAC system to ensure a warmer, more comfortable environment within the building.
Circuits that are Overloaded
Space heaters require a substantial amount of energy to function effectively and heat up areas in your home. This can cause the circuits that they are plugged into to become overloaded. Overloaded circuits result in an array of possible issues. For one thing, a circuit that becomes overloaded can cause a power failure inside your building. They can also cause an increased risk of fire inside of your building, which can lead to devastating consequences. This is just one of the risks of indoor space heaters.
Increased Electricity Bills
Indoor space heaters generally use a great deal of energy. When you start using space heaters in your house, you can likely expect your energy bill to increase. Space heaters are generally rather inefficient, which means that they will use far more energy than alternative methods for heating up your home. By focusing on your HVAC system rather than the use of a space heater, you can often save much more money on your electricity bills throughout the winter. It is important to take the right steps to minimize your energy expenses without sacrificing the level of comfort within your building.
Higher Risk of Fire
One of the major risks of space heaters is that they lead to an increased risk of fire inside of your building. It is important to follow the right safety protocols to minimize the risk of fire inside of your building, especially if you decide to use a space heater. When a space heater is located around flammable objects, it can easily cause a fire. It can also increase the fire risk if it gets knocked over or causes damage in some other way.
Electrocution Hazards
Any device that runs on electricity can increase the risk of electrocution. It is important to be careful with these devices in order to protect yourself and your family. For one thing, you should never use your space heater in a room where there is the possibility of it coming into contact with water. You should also ensure that you regularly check the cord for signs of fraying that can increase the chances of electrocution. These steps can similarly help to reduce the potential for a fire.
Staying Safe during the Winter
You don’t have to sacrifice the comfort of your home in order to stay safe during the winter. If you intend to use a space heater, you will need to take the steps to ensure it is safe as possible. You need to ensure that you have working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors when you intend to use a space heater in your home. Consider upgrading to a newer model of space heater, because it is more likely to have safety features. For example, you should obtain a space heater with a guard over the heating unit. This can help to prevent burns and minimize the possibility of fires. You should never leave the building or go to sleep while the space heater is running. Check on your space heater regularly for potential signs of damage and keep them out of rooms where they may get wet.
Not using a space heater at all is often a safer method for your property. If your HVAC system isn’t comfortably heating your home, you will want to ensure that you take the steps to have the problems resolved. You may also want to consider paying attention to the insulation of your property. By improving the insulation, your home will be better able to keep heat locked within the property. This will substantially reduce problems with your building throughout the winter.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Whenever you use a space heater that is fueled by gas, there is the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning. As the space heater produces carbon monoxide, it is possible that it can lead to dangerous issues inside of the property. Pay careful attention to the kind of space heater that you use in your building when it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Can Lead to Burns
In order to heat up an area, a space heater has to have an extremely hot surface. Whenever a child, pet, or other individual brushes up against this surface, they can get severely burnt. It is important to keep this in mind when you are using a space heater.
Keeping your HVAC system in good condition can help to reduce the likelihood that you will turn to indoor space heaters this winter. Our team at Custom Comfort can help to ensure that your HVAC system is up to the task of heating your home and keeping it at a comfortable temperature. Whenever your HVAC isn’t adequately heating your home, it will be important to ensure that you contact us to obtain the appropriate repair services. To learn more about the services that we offer for your HVAC system, contact us at Custom Comfort today!