Electric heaters are a popular choice for staying warm and comfortable during colder months. These heaters are portable, making them a convenient choice for heating interior rooms or adding some extra warmth to large spaces.
Unfortunately, these heaters also come with serious risks. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 81% of deaths in home fires involve stationary or portable space heaters. About half of these fires occurred in the months of December, January, and February.
Safety Tips for Electric Heaters
When choosing (or using) an electric heater, look for a safety certification label from a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory: the UL mark from Underwriters Laboratory, the ETL label from Intertek, or a label from CSA International. These labels indicate that the heater has been thoroughly inspected and tested under a variety of conditions.
In addition to purchasing and using a vetted
heater, follow these safety tips when using your heater:
●
Never leave a heater running
unattended or while you are asleep.
●
Keep any combustible material at
least 3 feets from all sides of the radiator, including clothes, papers,
curtains, and upholstered furniture.
●
Put the heater on a stable, level
surface where it will not be tipped over.
●
Avoid running the cord for the
heater under rugs or carpeting; this may cause damage to the cord, which could
cause other nearby objects to burn.
●
Always keep heaters away from
water, and never touch one when you are wet.
●
Don’t use heaters in workshops or
garages near matches, paint, or paint cans.
●
Always unplug the header when it
is not in use by pulling the cord straight from the outlet.
●
Check the heater cord periodically
for damage, and don’t use the heater if the cord is worn or damaged.
● Ensure there are working smoke alarms on every level of the home and in every bedroom; also, test smoke alarms regularly to ensure they are working correctly.
Field Evaluations from G&M Compliance
A field evaluation is an expert onsite inspection from an authorized Field Evaluation Body (FEB) that ensures systems comply with all relevant safety standards in their current installation and usage.
If a system or piece of equipment is manufactured according to different standards (such as in a different country), or if the product was modified after its initial certification, a field evaluation may be the best option to ensure the system is compliant with all relevant product safety standards in its current installation and usage.
A field evaluation is one of several paths to full compliance, and it will not work for all situations. But field evaluations and field labeling—which are one-time, installation-level approvals—are often much quicker and more cost-effective than obtaining a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) listing, which is an ongoing, factory-level certification.
If a field evaluation has been requested by a city inspector, utility service, government agency, or other Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), G&M Compliance can help. Our experts will help you determine if a field evaluation is the best fit for your product and handle the end-to-end process. As a recognized Field Evaluation Body (FEB), the field evaluation veterans at G&M Compliance follow the evaluation best practices spelled out in NFPA 791 and deliver reliable results.
For more information about field evaluations
or the certification of heating equipment, contact
G&M Compliance today.