GREENSBORO, N.C. — When it's this cold outside, you want to be sitting as close to warmth as possible. But the reality is, the space heater needs to be three feet from your chair, your bed, and the curtains.
“If you are using a space heater to stay warm at night we always encourage you to shut the door to that room that you're in just so that space heater may not need to run quite as long,” said Ryan Chambers, of the Gibsonville Fire Department.
Space heaters are linked to more than 25,000+ house fires every year, resulting in more than 300 deaths in the United States.
Besides being three feet from anything that can catch fire, you need to make sure your space heater is plugged into the wall outlet. Don’t use an extension cord or a power strip, even if it's a heavy-duty one.
Extension cords and strips are not designed to handle the high electric current of a space heater. The heater is too powerful for them and can start a fire or melt them.
Consumer Reports tests space heaters by using a mannequin that is wired with sensors to see how your body will feel when you're sitting four-and-a-half feet from the heater. The test looks for warmth within 15 minutes. The Consumer Reports testing also includes how hot the heater is to the touch and if it has an automatic shut-off.
Many of the top performers in the Consumer Reports tests this year were under a hundred bucks. Space heaters are rated for how quickly they heat a person and an entire room.