Warning issued to anyone using an electric heater this winter | UK | News
A warning has been issued to everyone using electric heaters this winter.
Electric heaters are a popular way to heat a space without having to heat the entire house. It’s a good money saver, for example, if you live alone and only want to heat one room, or if you have a space without a central heating radiator and want to add some extra warmth.
But if you plan to use an electric heater or plug-in radiator this winter, you should follow a strict rule about how you install them.
In particular, safety experts emphasize that you should never plug any electric heaters into extension cords.
Popular British YouTuber Kip Hakes shared the tip on Facebook. He said: “As the weather gets colder in the UK it’s really important to remind you of this potentially life-saving tip.
“NEVER plug electric heaters into extension cords; they must be plugged into wall outlets. At best, you’ll end up with a burned extension cord, or at worst, a house fire.”
This is backed by security experts.
electrical company DRA Electric The website warned: “We cannot stress the importance of this enough – please, please, please do not plug electric heaters (of any kind) into extension cords.
“Please only plug heaters directly into an electrical outlet. And please don’t leave heaters on all the time, turn them off. If your room isn’t warm enough, consider a more efficient, permanent option instead of a portable heater.”
The company told the ‘true story’ of a real fire caused by this exact problem.
They wrote about a production team working from an office in Newcastle. There, a receptionist had plugged an indoor plug-in heater into a cheap extension cord.
But they said what ‘made the situation worse’ was that the extension was then attached to another extension.
They said: “The cable reel was tangled inside; if you use a cable reel, always open it fully for safety.
“This spool of cable was powering a printer and a payment machine. It was also powering another extension cord and a heater. It was overloaded.
“We advised the staff not to do this, but to plug the heater directly into the wall. Unfortunately, there were not enough sockets in the room, leaving no room to plug the heater.
“We were very concerned that the heater’s extension cord might be causing the noise. We unplugged the heater and also unplugged the extension cord.
“The very next day the manager of the business contacted us to inform us that our guidance had not been followed.
“The heater had been plugged back into the extension cord. We’re not sure if the extension had gone into the cable spool or directly into the wall, but what we do know is that the heater in the extension cord had caused the extension socket to overheat and melt, it was a miracle it didn’t cause even more damage.”
“It technically caught fire, although no actual flame was visible. But from the pictures you can see that the white plug is very clearly burning.”
“We see the effects of this often, but this is the first time we’ve heard of it happening so soon after our visit. We’re pleased that this happened when someone was in the room and not overnight when the heater was left unattended.”
