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UPPCO Provides "Best Practices" When Using Space Heaters
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(Ishpeming, MI)
- Electric space heaters can help homeowners stay warm this winter
if used appropriately and safely. Upper Peninsula Power Company
(UPPCO) reminds customers there are safe ways and potentially
dangerous ways to use space heaters. There are also substantial
energy costs associated with operating multiple space heaters in a
home or office. UPPCO advises using a space heater in a smaller
confined area or office work space to provide supplemental heat that
the building's regular heating system cannot provide. Space heaters
are not intended to heat an entire house. If a supplemental space
heater is used in home heating, UPPCO recommends turning down the
house thermostat a few degrees and then use a space heater in the
area that is occupied the most.
UPPCO advises to keep space heaters isolated from the house's
thermostat so the thermostat doesn't react to the warmer room
temperature and does not allow the furnace to operate causing the
rest of the house to become cold.
UPPCO advises against using multiple space heaters to warm your
entire home or work space. The small heaters use a lot of
electricity and are somewhat costly to operate. A typical electric
space heater using 1,500 watts of power can cost over 20 cents an
hour to operate. Using one space heater 24 hours a day for one month
will add $160 to your electric bill. If multiple space heaters are
used, electric consumption would increase substantially, costing the
customer a lot of money. Multiple heaters in a home, according to
UPPCO, can add $300 to $400 a month to a customer's electric bill.
To learn more about energy costs for other household appliances,
access the electric appliance calculator at
www.uppco.com/home/electric_calculator.aspx.
Another concern with using multiple space heaters is the increased
electric load on the home's circuitry. The typical space heater can
tie up more than 80 percent of a standard 15-amp circuit found in a
typical home. The circuit breaker could easily trip as a safety
measure.
There is also a potential fire risk associated with space heaters.
Space heaters using a filament can get extremely red-hot. Children
and pets should stay far away. The National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) reports an estimated 21,650 home fires and 1,512
fire-related injuries are caused by careless or wrongful use of home
space heaters each year, usually associated with overloaded,
undersized or frayed power cords or drapes and furniture that come
in contact with the heating element. UPPCO recommends a safe
distance of three feet be maintained when using space heaters.
Space heaters should have a protective guard over their heating
coils and include a tip-over shut-off feature. If a heater is
accidentally knocked over, it instantly should shut itself off. The
unit should also have an overheat protection feature, which shuts
the unit down if it reaches dangerously hot temperatures. The unit
should also have the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) Seal of Approval
which means it complies with industry-wide safety standards.
Other suggested safety precautions include:
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Don't use a space heater in a damp or wet area. Moisture could
damage it.
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Keep the heater away from any flammables, like paint, paint thinner,
gasoline cans or matches.
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Do not run cords under rugs or carpeting.
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Never leave a space heater unattended. Turn it off when you leave
the room.
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Consult the unit's operational manual for a complete list of safety
precautions and suggested use.
For More Information, Contact:
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Jodi Pineau
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UPPCO Customer Service
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