The winter cold is sweeping across the UK, and as a result, many households are turning towards different heating options. Central heating is great, but it can be expensive, so it makes sense that many people are choosing to run portable heaters.
However, if these money-saving heaters aren’t used properly, they can be dangerous and end up costing thousands in damages. Jonny Smith, fire-risk assessment specialist at Crusader Fire, said: “In winter, people often use more high-powered electrical items such as portable heaters and electric blankets. But when these are plugged into the same extension lead, many don’t realise they could easily exceed its safe capacity.”
If extension leads are overloaded, they can spark and cause house fires.
Johnny said: “Even a relatively small fire can cost a household up to £18,000 to recover from, not to mention the stress and disruption it causes.”
Another risk that comes with winter is that heaters are often left to run for longer periods of time. This causes thermal stress on cables and makes it more likely they will fail. If you have cords tucked behind furniture or Christmas decorations, this again increases the risk of a fire.
To mitigate this risk, always check all your cables for signs of wear and tear, and avoid “daisy chaining” your extension cords. Daisy chaining is when one extension lead is plugged into another – this increases the heat and fire risk.
If you are plugging multiple appliances into one extension lead, make sure you check their combined power to make sure you are not overpowering your extension lead.
Johnny said: “A few simple precautions can prevent a fire that might cost tens of thousands of pounds to recover from, or worse.”
