Safe Distance: Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from any furniture or flammable materials. Stable Surface: Place space heaters on a flat, stable surface to prevent tipping. Avoid High Traffic Areas: Position space heaters away from areas where they might be knocked over by pets or people.
Simple answer, you should not place anything in front of your heater as it is not safe; this includes any kind of furniture, drapes, paper, bedding, and people.
Proper Use
Keep the space heater at least three feet from anything that can burn, such as furniture, fabrics and decorations. “More than half (53 percent) of all home heating fire deaths resulted from fires that began when heating equipment was too close to things that can burn,” reports the NFPA.
Twelve inches or more is a generally recommended distance between furniture and electric heaters. To the sides, the furniture can be as close as 6 inches away. But the farther away, the better.
The CPSC calls it the “3-foot rule,” and it's pretty simple: Avoid placing a space heater within 3 feet of anything flammable. Some manuals list curtains, papers, furniture, pillows, and bedding as objects to stay away from.
All objects should be at least 6 to 12 inches away from the vent. However, when it comes to big bulky items, such as your sofa, recliner or bookcase, it's best to never place them in front of your return air vent.
Place the heater out of high-traffic areas and on a level, hard, non-flammable floor surface—NOT on carpets, furniture, or countertops. Never use them to thaw pipes, cook food, or dry clothing or towels. Space heaters have one purpose —to provide supplemental heating.
Always make sure that there is at least a three feet clearance space between the heater and other objects in the area. This could be TVs, Speakers, ceiling fans, lights or sprinklers. Extra care should be taken with fabrics, such as awnings, blinds or curtains as these items tend to be highly flammable.
The furniture would prevent heat from being distributed freely throughout the room, and could be damaged over time from the close exposure to heat. You should attempt to leave around 6 to 12 inches (15-30cm) between any furniture and your heating appliance to ensure free movement of air and better distribution of heat.
Even with proper space, a big, flat piece of furniture can still restrict air flow enough to stop the flow of air back into your HVAC system. Open or backless shelving may be placed in front of an air return vent, but do not drape any fabric on the shelves as that can get pulled against the vent due to the flow of air.
Make sure to always use a baseboard heater cover. These covers can help direct hot air that emanates from the heater keeping it away from the lower and foot areas of furniture nearby.
Just make sure that your about half a foot away from the wall/baseboard unit and make sure that you don't leave the heat running 24/7 etc. Take the required cautionary/safety steps so that you have nothing to worry about.
Never place anything on top of, around, or below the thermostat. Also, don't block the air vents (with furniture, rugs, etc.), since this will also result in a false reading and cause the system to work harder.
At the flue cap you must have at least 3 metres clearance to your adjacent roof, and minimum 6 metres horizontally to any nearby structures or buildings. Not meeting these requirements could cause the fire to burn incorrectly, cause a smoke nuisance, or could create a fire hazard.
But in order for the heater to function properly, you should know that nothing should be placed in front of the heater to block that air flow. Any furniture that may end up being in front of your baseboard heater should be at least 6 inches away. Be Mindful of Object Placement.
603.5. 3 Heating Appliance Clearance to Combustible Materials
A minimum of 18 inches (457 mm) shall be maintained between gas or fuel-oil heat-producing appliances and combustible materials. A minimum of 36 inches (914 mm) shall be maintained between solid fuel-burning appliances and combustible materials.
Maintain Clearance: Keep furniture at least 6 inches away from baseboard heaters. This prevents the blockage of heat and reduces fire risk.
I.e. General opinion accepts that an allowance of at least 30 inches all around the heating system is enough. That means; you should place the furnace at least 30 inches from the nearest wall. Also, every other item in the perimeter of the furnace should be at least 30 inches away.
You should place all objects, including fabrics, cushions, or wooden items, 6 to 12 inches away from the heaters. These can easily catch fire when exposed to sustained heat.
On a carpet, rug or flammable surface
Space heaters can't sit on any surface that can easily scorch or catch on fire. That means you can never place one on a carpet or rug. You should also avoid using them on more delicate hardwoods or meltable vinyl, especially for long periods.
If a wall heater is correctly placed and all safety precautions are followed, it can keep a room quite comfortable. But to ensure you're using one safely: Mount the heater at least three feet away from furniture, carpeting, curtains, and other objects that can burn.
ANSWER: Refinishing furniture in a space that is below or above the 65*-75* F range can lead to problems, and a space below 55* F is definitely too cold. One issue caused by cold temperatures is the development of dimples in the finish called "Orange Peel".
Keep furniture and even curtains at least 10” away from the vent opening in order to allow for proper air flow. It's important to keep the area in front of your return air vents clear for a few reasons. If you don't, it reduces the efficiency of your air system and causes it to use more energy.