No, electric room heaters do not produce carbon monoxide, making them a safer option for indoor
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.
Room heaters can significantly reduce indoor humidity levels, leading to dry air. This dryness can irritate the respiratory system, causing issues such as dry throat, nasal congestion, and exacerbating pre-existing respiratory conditions like asthma or allergies.
Electric heaters of any type are unsafe to leave running overnight because they carry a significant amount of risk. If a space heater falls over or becomes too hot from running for too long of a period of time, that can lead to a fast-moving fire that occurs while you are asleep and cannot act fast enough.
Carbon monoxide alarms are not required in homes that do not have any of these risk factors, such as a home or apartment with all-electric heating and appliances and without an attached garage.
Even if your home is all electric, it's still recommended that you install carbon monoxide detectors, as CO can seep inside the home from an attached garage or from outside. Texas updated its building codes in 2021 to require all homes built in or after 2022 to install carbon monoxide detectors.
However, these heaters don't release carbon monoxide, which is a major plus. The Maintenance: Baseboard heaters can add one more task to your chores list because they need regular vacuuming. If you let dust build up over time, it can make the heater work harder, using more energy than needed.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 1,700 residential fires every year are associated with the use of space heaters, resulting in more than 80 deaths and 160 injuries nationally.
Oil filled radiator space heaters are some of the safest on the market. 1500W is all the juice an outlet will provide (Roughly 5,000 btus).
While it's not recommended to leave any space heater on if you're not monitoring it, oil-filled, radiant space heaters are considered safer than ceramic convection (hot air) types, according to Roberson. Both of these options are safer than open-coil heaters.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
A common misconception is that only fuel-burning heaters pose a risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. However, improper ventilation of electrical space heaters can also lead to dangerous CO levels.
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.
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.
There's no combustion process involved, and therefore, no need to vent any exhaust gases. Electric water heaters are self-contained units that need to be connected to a power source, making the installation process more straightforward and eliminating the need for complex venting systems.
Room heaters can cause dryness in the air, which can result in dry skin, dry eyes, and dry throat. This can further lead to respiratory issues, nasal congestion, and increased susceptibility to infections.
The best way to prevent a fire is to never leave a space heater running in a room unattended—that way, if anything does go wrong, you can take action quickly. If you have kids or pets that could knock a heater over or drape fabric on it, keep a very close eye on its operation.
Electric space heaters can be used safely, but they are not the safest option for staying warm when the temperature drops. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), space heaters account for 43% of home heating fires and 85% of home heating deaths. They can also be a hazard in the workplace.
During the Day: It's safe to leave your heater on for 6-8 hours if you're in the room.
While electric space heaters do not produce carbon monoxide (CO), non-electric space heaters (propane gas, natural gas, kerosene, wood) can if incomplete combustion occurs. If these types of heaters are in use, it is recommended that a working CO detector be used to indicate the presence of high-level CO gas.
Long-term use of heaters in enclosed spaces can be hazardous because it increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can lead to headaches, nausea, dizziness, and weakness.
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.
Electric heaters are generally safer than gas heaters as they do not produce harmful emissions like carbon monoxide. They are ideal for enclosed spaces, offering consistent warmth without the risks associated with combustion-based heating systems.
Too often we hear of fires started by a space heater and we see frequent warnings every year about the potential danger of using them. Baseboard heaters are generally safe and have low fire danger.
Any heater that burns fuel, such as your furnace, gas water heater or a portable butane or gas heater, produces carbon monoxide that can leak into the air. Mild exposure to carbon monoxide can cause symptoms such as nausea, dizziness or headaches.