{"481061":{"#nid":"481061","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Heat is On: Mind These Tips for Safe Space Heater Use","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EWhile winter has been mild thus far, many will reach for space heaters for a bit of extra warmth once cooler weather takes hold. But, according to the National Fire Protection Association, space heaters account for one-third of home heating fires and four out of five home heating deaths.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p4\u0022\u003ESo, it\u2019s important to keep safety top of mind. That\u2019s why Georgia Tech\u2019s Fire Safety Office has provided guidelines for selecting space heaters and for their safe placement and usage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA space heater should:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBe made of ceramic-type material.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EHave an individual, built-in thermostat.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAutomatically shut off if the airflow becomes blocked.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EShut off automatically if the heater tips over.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBe approved by a testing laboratory, such as UL.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p5\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso, when using a space heater, follow these guidelines:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPlace the heater on a flat, level surface.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAvoid using the heater in wet or moist areas, such as bathrooms, unless it is specified for that purpose.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPlug the heater directly into a wall receptacle without using an extension cord.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEnsure the cord fits snugly into the socket, and unplug it if it feels hot near the outlet.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EKeep a minimum distance of 3 feet between all sides of the heater and combustible materials such as furniture, paper, boxes, trashcans, clothes, and fabric-covered furniture.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMaintain airflow behind and around the unit.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETurn off the heater each time you leave.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p8\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Fire Safety Office also provides on-site space heater inspections on a building-by-building basis. To have your space heater inspected or to arrange a building\/group inspection, email \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:fire@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Efire@gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, or call 404-894-FIRE (3473).\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the National Fire Protection Association, space heaters account for one-third of home heating fires and four out of five home heating deaths.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"According to the National Fire Protection Association, space heaters account for one-third of home heating fires and four out of five home heating deaths."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2016-01-04 09:50:50","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:20:20","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"481051":{"id":"481051","type":"image","title":"Space Heater","body":null,"created":"1451937600","gmt_created":"2016-01-04 20:00:00","changed":"1475895234","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:54","alt":"Space Heater","file":{"fid":"204208","name":"spaceheater.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/spaceheater_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/spaceheater_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":367084,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/spaceheater_0.jpg?itok=oJtXdFZh"}}},"media_ids":["481051"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ehs.gatech.edu\/fire\/","title":"Fire Safety at Georgia Tech"}],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1983","name":"Fire Safety"},{"id":"110261","name":"Fire Safety Office"},{"id":"171390","name":"space heater"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EVictor Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-894-6398\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}