I bought a space heater for my bedroom

[LDSmomma6]

Not sure if I like the idea of it being in my house at all. Nothing ever comes good with a space heater catching on fire or catching something on fire. I need one though because when we closed in the garage to make my new master bedroom we didn't realize that there wasn't a vent. So needless to say, I am dang poor now to hire someone to add a vent to tie in with our heat, so I have no heat (or a/c, but hopefully by the spring, if my plan works, I should have the money to get it done), and it's suppose to be in the teens by Monday night!!

I've known 2 different families with tragedy's with space heaters...1st fam: heater was accidently left on and something was covering it and burned their house down, and 2nd fam: electrical short in the heater and killed the parents and their grandbaby in October...they went to our church.

I remember having one when I was a kid, and I swear that thing was always knocked down or laying over while on, and it never caught fire, good thing. But I am still scared.

IS IT OKAY TO HAVE IT ON CARPET, or does it need to be on non-carpet floor like the picture shows? I didn't read anything about it not being on carpet on the side of the box, and I haven't opened the box yet to get the instructions out. Tell me I'm over-reacting!!

TIA!

[LovemyBoo]

It's okay. Those things are much safer than they used to be. Open the box and read the instructions. We have a small one that we use to heat up the bathroom before bathing dd. If I were you I would put it up on a small table or something. You probably don't have to but I'm paranoid like that. Make sure there's no curtains or anything loose nearby. Unplug it when it's not on. Check it regularly for dust, loose wiring, that sort of thing. How often are you planning on running it? I don't know if I would run ours non-stop but a couple of dh's office buddies run theirs all day long with no problems.

I'm sure it's fine.

[Red]

We've used an oil filled radiator for years now. It warms, but would be hard to catch fire.

I wouldn't put one on a rug. Get a piece of "blueboard" (I think, fireproof stuff)to put under it.

Don't ever cover it with anything use your head, don't leave it on when you're out, have good, working smoke detecotrs in each bedroom and a fire extinguisher by your bed.


Safe!

[Sharlla]

We use oil filled as well. Much less costly and more efficient than baseboard heat.

[Essie]

You could check with the local fire dept. In our area they actually have ads (PSA's) with firefighters saying you should keep things away from space heaters 3' on all sides. But I am sure if you called or stopped by they would give you all of the safety tips on them.

BTW, are there Energystar spaceheaters now?

[JenniferH]

Ours turn off when they turn over and they have thermostats that turn them off when they get too hot.

I'm not really fond of them, but with a little caution and common sense, they can be safe.

[oetien]

OT a little bit..
For the oil filled radiator kind, do you have to fill it up with oil? I just got one and I don't know if the oil needs to be filled/will get empty..
Thanks!

[oetien]

*

[Alkenny]

If it looks like a radiator, but plugs into the wall it doesn't need refilled.

We have a small one we used in our back bedroom, but our electric bill went sky high from it last year, so I'm sleeping on the couch now (DH sleeps during the day, but he likes it cold, so isn't using it). The newer ones shut off when they're tipped over, but I'd still keep it away from anything flamable that might touch it while upright, and only use it when you absolutely have to.

[fizzymom]

I don't know what kind you have, but years ago I bought a Vornado and from my experience with it, I would never use anything else (and I'm sure they have made improvements over the years). It warmed the entire room not just the area in front of the heater, the unit NEVER got hot even if it had been running for hours, and was very inexpensive to run. I would even feel completely OK with my kids playing around this one. I also don't remember it being very expensive -- we were pretty broke at the time. It worked so well that we were able to heat our entire apartment with it during a 10-20 degree winter.(Our landlord was Mr. Cheapo and wouldn't turn the boiler up.)

Vornado

[Eman'smom]

Our "new" heaters all have auto shut off if they get too hot or get tipped over. I keep one on the carpet (it is raised up anyway) the other I keep on the tile.

Get a heater. Don't freeze. Half our kitchen is a funy addition so no heat in that half, you think well half has heat but it's also the last "stop" for the heater so that room is cold.

[polka123]

We have a 2 yr old radiator (with the oil in in ) for the basement for the animals.
Our bill has not gone up much at all.
I think these kind are pretty safe.
I heard from a FF most of the glowing hot kinds are the ones that catch fire more.

the Vornado that Fizzymom mentioned looks VERY safe & cost efficient

[LizaBear]

Likely not what you want to hear, but I lost a cousin to a fire started by a space heater just a few years ago. As well as a friend of his. 4 other kids made it out in time.

Everyone was awake and sober when the fire started in the room they were in, but there wasn't enough time to put it out or get out before my cousin and the other girl were trapped.

They were only 16 years old.

Space heaters scare the living hell out of me.

[rainbowmoon]

I have used a space heater for years as we live in a drafty house..though not when sleeping, I'm way to paranoid for that! ours is a dish sort of design. I have used it on carpet..it makes a warning noise if it is not stable & goes off and on so it doesn't stay hot too. just be sure to keep it at least 3 feet from anyting like furniture,bedding,etc. also don't leave it unnattended and you should be fine.I will warn you it eats up the electric bill though (at least mine does)

[rainbowmoon]

how awful I had no idea that could happen like that!

Originally Posted by LizaBear

Likely not what you want to hear, but I lost a cousin to a fire started by a space heater just a few years ago. As well as a friend of his. 4 other kids made it out in time.

Everyone was awake and sober when the fire started in the room they were in, but there wasn't enough time to put it out or get out before my cousin and the other girl were trapped.

They were only 16 years old.

Space heaters scare the living hell out of me.

[Goddess3_2005]

Space heaters freak me out too. I have one with a ceramic heating element that is always cool to the touch on the ouside and will immediatly tun off if its bumped or tipped. I would suggest one of those. Stear clear of the ones with heating elements that get red hot and old ones and I bet you'll be ok.

[bendmom]

My dh lived in a travel trailer in a commune over a winter and used space heaters. They were fine, and he had a dog and a cat in there with the heaters on during the day and nothing ever happened. That said, they scare the bajesus out of me.

[srain]

If you turn it on before bed, would it heat the room enough to keep you warm 'til early morning if you dress warmly? Then you could turn it off and feel safer....

[momto l&a]

I love ceramic heaters, safe and efficient. A small one can heat a nice sized room easily.

[CryPixie83]

: Our front room (which is also our bedroom-tiny apartment) is poorly sealed and the heat just doesn't make it in here, so right now we're using MIL's old heater. It's about three feet tall with two glowing rods ...yea it's a scary beast... We never leave it on when we're not home and at night we turn it "off" which isn't really off, it just keeps the rods warm (on, heat up, off, cool down, repeat). It makes me even more hopeful that we'll find a house soon.....