Electric Heaters and Fire Danger

Fire hazards scare me. People are so careless or so unobservant of fire hazards that it never fails to amaze me. I see a number of problems with wood stoves and fireplaces. But, probably, the most often seen fire hazards, listed on my home inspection reports, involve electric heaters -- baseboard heaters or the fan-assisted in wall heaters. People do the same crazy and dangerous things over and over and they are not careful with these units.

Years ago, I accidentally left the hose from a shop-vac resting on a baseboard heater. It melted. I learned to be careful. These units get extremely hot and they will start fires. That is why I am always dismayed when I see "no-brainer" fire hazards in homes. The most common problem would be cloth drapes hanging down over the units. Next to that, it would be towel racks mounted over heaters and long bath towels hanging down on heaters. Take a look at this photo. Hard to believe, but there is a baseboard heater under all that fabric.

I will leave you with some sound advice: If your home has electric heaters -- portable to baseboard to fan-assisted wall units, remember that the heating elements or coils get very hot. They will start fires and they are not intended to be in close proximity to flammable materials. Keep beds, bookcases, fabric and other combustibles away from the heaters. Be sure to follow all of the manufacturer's guidelines for combustible clearances and you will live a safer and happier life.

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