- Maintain a safe distance between the heater and other objects.
- Keep the heater in the best possible manner to avoid any tripping.
- Please keep it away from the reach of children and pets.
- Ensure that your heater has a tip-over protection feature
- It should have an automatic shutdown feature in case of overheating.
- It should contain a timer and a thermostat.
How to ensure that your infrared heating system is kept at the safe distance
You must go through the company’s manual and follow their advice for maximum safety. If you use your heater correctly, you can minimize the chances of any mishap.
- Keep any combustible material like a pillow, furniture, curtains, clothes or paper at least 3 feet away from the front and rear side of the heater.
- Never place the heater below the socket outlet.
Preventive measures and safety concerns for overnight heater usage
If nothing is too close to the wall and ceiling-mounted heaters, you can leave it in ‘switch on’ mode the whole night without any risk. For portable infrared heaters, you need to take some precautionary steps to ensure your family’s safety.
How to prevent heat output blocking
To run the heater safely unattended, you should prevent any potential blocking in the room. Below are some do’s and don’ts which you should keep in mind:
- Never put any object near the front and rear of the heater.
- Never cover your heater, as it will stop the airflow and result in a malfunction of the heater.
- Ensure that the air intake and exhaust in the heater are not blocked in any manner, as this may catch fire.
- Never place the heater on a soft surface like a bed or sofa, as this will stop the openings.
- Never insert any foreign object in the openings, as this may lead to shock or damage.
- Never place the heater in an area where paint, gasoline or any other flammable liquid is kept.
To keep your heater safe, ensure that there are no bedsheets or curtains in the vicinity. Make sure that nothing can come in contact with the heater while sleeping.
How to avoid a tripping hazard
Portable heaters are not fixed and are usually kept on the ground. Hence, your children or pet can accidentally bump into the heater or trip on the power cable, especially at night. It can lead to any mishap like:
- Malfunction because of heater damage
- Heat outlet blockage, which may cause over-heat of the heater.
- Any small object may enter the heater during tripping, which can catch fire while coming in contact with heating elements.
How to avoid a tripping hazard
To avoid tripping, ensure that your heater is placed safely and not in the walkways. Also, arrange the power cord correctly. Below are some safety measures:
- Never run the cord under the carpet
- Don’t cover the cords with runners, rugs or other coverings.
- Ensure the power cable is not rolling when the heater is ‘ON’.
- Avoid extension cords, as they may overheat and increase fire risk.
Features which should be there in an infrared space heater for night safety
Tip-over protection: Most heaters contain a button at the bottom that automatically switches off the heaters in case of tipping. This feature is good overnight, as tipping may happen in the house, especially during a night bathroom visit.
Automatic shut-off: With continuous usage at night, your heater may become hot at some point. But most infrared heaters come with an automatic shut-off feature. Hence when the heating element becomes too hot, the heater shuts down automatically. Through this feature, you can ensure that heater is functioning correctly.
Timer function: Some infrared heaters come with a timer facility. It is beneficial when you want your heater to switch off automatically after a specific duration.
Thermostat: Many infrared heaters come with an in-built thermostat. It allows users to get a comfortable temperature during the night. Remember that a relatively cool temperature gives you sound sleep. As per studies, men get good sleep at 17 and 28 degrees Celcius while women get sound sleep at 23 °C (73 °F) and 28 °C (82 °F).
Choose the safest option- indoor Infrared heater.
Modern indoor infrared heater provides many benefits over traditional heater. Firstly, they can be mounted on the ceiling or wall, eliminating the risk of tripping. Secondly, their body doesn’t get much hot; you can touch them for 2-3 seconds without any danger. On top of this, you can easily connect these heaters with a timer and thermostat. All such aspects have made infrared heaters safe to use overnight.