Authorities Warn Maine, New Hampshire, & Massachusetts Residents About This Common Fire Hazard

Whether you are a fan of winter or not, the season will soon return to New England.

Before too long, the temperature will plummet and the snow will begin to fall from the sky.  And, even if you don't want to think about it right now, you will be forced to fire up your furnace.

Of course, given that the price of everything, including heating oil and gas, continues to rise, most people are trying to avoid using their home's furnace for as long as possible.

Additionally, once the furnace has been turned on, they are trying to find ways to avoid turning the heat up.

One of the most common ways people try to save on heating is by using space heaters.  These small, portable, kerosene or electric heaters allow a homeowner to heat only the rooms where they spend most of their time. The living room and bedrooms, for example.

However, it is important to remember that these heaters can be dangerous if they are not properly used.

According to a 2918 article on the WGME website, users of these heaters are warned to only plug them into the wall.  Average extension cords and power strips may not be capable of handling the voltage/amperage required by these heaters.

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Auxiliary heaters are responsible for about 1,600 home fires in the United States annually.  While this is a small percentage of the total number of home fires in the United States each year, FEMA research has found that heater fires are the cause of over 40% of fatal home fires.

If you are going to use these heaters, please be safe.