Maryland State Fire Marshal Talks Space Heater Safety

The fall weather is here and soon the space heaters will make their appearance.

In a news release, reminds Marylanders that there are risks to using portable space heaters.

For example, in 2008, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 66,400 home structure fires throughout the country, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

These fires caused 480 deaths, 1,660 injuries and an estimated $1.1 billion in direct property damage, the release states. These heating equipment fires accounted for 17 percent of all reported home fires.

“The risk of fire from portable space heaters is especially high when used improperly,” Barnard said in the release. “The safety tips listed below will help all Marylanders reduce the chance for injury or death when using portable space heaters:"

• Don't buy or use a space heater until you've checked the packaging to see if the unit is approved by a laboratory, for example the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL).
• Read and follow manufacturer's instructions when operating it, and keep the owners manual and refer to it.
• Use only the type of fuel specified in the owner's manual when using unvented, fuel-fired heaters.
• Never use gasoline.
• Note that portable kerosene heaters are banned for use in Baltimore City.
• Have enough fresh air coming in when you use an unvented, fuel-fired space heater.
• Use a carbon monoxide alarm because space heaters produce dangerous carbon monoxide, an odorless, poisonous, colorless gas.
• Keep portable space heaters at least 3 feet away from combustibles such as newspapers, clothing, furniture, curtains, etc.
• Don't let children or pets near a space heater.
• Don't use an extension cord to operate an electrical space heater, because the space heaters cause extension cords to overheat and potentially cause a fire.
• Plug in the space heater directly into a properly grounded outlet.

Make sure to test the smoke alarms in your home.

The State Fire Marshal's headquarters is at 1201 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville.