Summer is out and portable heaters are in

Stay warm and safe this winter when using portable heaters. They are a great low-cost option; particularly for older generations and small offices where it would be costly to generate heat for a whole building.
In terms of energy efficiency there isn’t much difference between the main types of heaters on the market, the main types of portable heaters are:

– Oil-filled radiators
– Convector heaters
– Fan heaters
– Halogen heaters
Electrical Safety First carried out a survey which indicates at least half of those surveyed would be happy to use a portable heater and almost 40% would be comfortable leaving it unattended, and 20% ready to leave a portable heater switched on overnight.

This doesn’t seem that surprising, however, between 2009 and 2014, nearly 4,000 fires have been caused by portable heaters and circa 1,000 have resulted in serious injuries. With that in mind, we’ve included some simple steps below to ensure you are not putting yourself at risk while keeping warm this winter:
– Never leave your portable heaters on whilst sleeping.
– Position them away from anything that could knock them over and at least 3 feet away from anything that could be considered a fire hazard (ie; bedding, curtains and fabric furniture)
– Never leave your portable heater unattended, as tempting as this may be.
– Always plug your portable heater into a socket to prevent overloading; never use an extension lead.
– Avoid second hand heaters as they are likely to be well used and will be reaching the end of their lifetime in terms of safety.
Always check your portable heater for any damage and give it a regular visual inspection, if there are any signs of damage, stop using your heater and seek professional advice.
The safety of you and those around you is an absolute priority, if you are using a portable heater this year; follow these steps and keep warm this winter!