No, electric
But before you fire it up, be prepared that feeling nice and toasty may also come with a stuffy nose, dry throat, cough or even a headache. These cold-like symptoms are referred to as "heater sickness."
Eye and skin irritation
Long-term exposure to dry, warm air produced by room heaters can cause irritation to the eyes and skin. This can lead to redness, itching, and discomfort.
No Emissions or Harmful Fumes
Unlike gas, an electric heater produces no smell or harmful carbon monoxide gases that require constant monitoring. Electric heating systems also do not add anything to your home's air, ensuring your indoor air stays fresh.
There are many other electric heating technologies – such as fan heaters, oil column heaters, panel heaters, or infrared heaters – that do not release toxins into the home. Heater manufacturers are often reluctant to talk about the health impacts of their products, and regulators are slow to catch up with the science.
Common indoor heating sources such as electric heaters and fireplaces can both worsen sinus symptoms during the winter months. Heaters dry out the air and fireplaces can irritate the nasal passages.
Space heaters can significantly dry out the air in a home, leading to various respiratory issues. Dry air can cause irritation of the respiratory tract, leading to symptoms such as coughing, sore throat, and dry nasal passages. It can also exacerbate existing conditions like asthma and allergies.
Key points about carbon monoxide poisoning
A common source is unvented space heaters. Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea and vomiting, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, seizures, chest pain, disorientation, and loss of consciousness.
Constantly breathing extremely warm, dry air that may contain fungi, mold and mildew from the vents can affect your skin, nose, throat and eyes. Breathing these air particulates and smelling the bacteria may cause sneezing, congestion headaches, coughing and drying out your eyes, nose and throat.
The lifetime cost of electric heating is higher than gas heating due to the higher cost of electricity per unit. Electric heating also takes longer. Your furnace won't reach the high temperatures of a gas furnace. Because of this, you'll remain a little colder for a little longer.
These fire result in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and millions of dollars in property damage. Portable electric space heaters can be a convenient source of supplemental heat for your home in cold weather. Unfortunately, they can pose significant fire and electric shock hazards if not used properly.
Common side effects
Dehydration: Dry indoor air may lead to excessive water loss from the body, resulting in dehydration. Allergies and irritation: Dust particles or allergens circulated by heaters, especially fan-based models, can trigger allergies or worsen respiratory conditions.
Unvented Heaters
These fumes can cause cold or flu-like symptoms, headaches, and eye, nose and throat irritation. Don't use these heaters as your main heat source, even during power failures.
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO, it can make you pass out or kill you.
No. Only heaters that burn a combustible fuel to create heat can cause carbon monoxide build-up in your home. An electrical heater works by having electricity flow through a metal heating or ceramic heating element to produce heat.
The soot stain can have a black, brown or even yellow color. Smell: While carbon monoxide doesn't emit odor, it may get accompanied by other exhaust gases that produce an odor. A yellow burner flame: The pilot flame may produce an unusual yellow flame instead of the normal blue one.
Fires typically start when bedding, blankets or clothes are placed too close to heaters. People with mobility issues are especially at risk of tripping or falling onto a heater – placing them at a safe distance is all the more important. Some kinds of heater also present a carbon monoxide risk which can be fatal.
Overheating: Excessive heating can damage the heater and potentially cause burns or fires. Electrical Shocks: Faulty wiring or lack of electrical safety features can lead to electric shocks. Pressure Issues: High pressure can cause leaks or bursts, leading to water damage and appliance failure.
Recommended Usage Times. During the Day: It's generally safe to run your space heater for 6 to 8 hours during the day while you're home and active.
If you're feeling sick when you start the furnace, you may want to open a window to get fresh air. You should also have a furnace specialist visit to make certain you are not getting sick from carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide.
Just when you think allergy season is over, you turn on the heater and the sniffles start all over again. Can your heater cause allergies? Heaters themselves do not directly cause allergies, but they can exacerbate certain allergic reactions or create conditions that trigger allergy symptoms.
When there's not much air circulation and multiple people around, carbon dioxide can also build up, explains Dr Clayton Cowl, an occupational medicine specialist and pulmonologist with the Mayo Clinic. This can “cause headaches, fatigue and just not feeling right”, Cowl says.