 robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX |
to rfnut
Re: Unplug stuff?said by rfnut: On the other subject of a heater on a timer, I can see where that could be its own problem if something were to come into contact with the heater unexpectedly. In my opinion any type heater that when covered by a blanket could cause combustion (even with overheat or other safety) should be manually turned on. Imagine getting up early in a rush for a plane or something and you throw a man made fiber shirt on the bed, which falls on an electric space heater. It turns on just after you leave and the shirt melts onto the element and catches fire before the safety kills it. It seems like those problems are easily solved. Get a programmable plug-in timer made for use with heaters and a wall or ceiling mountable heater. |
tkdslr
join:2004-04-24
Pompano Beach, FL |
to fartness
I use X-10 appliance switches, paired with an X-10 controller to make sure heating devices are shut off when I leave the house..
Each heating device is sent 8 to 10 OFF commands a day..
Coffee pot, Iron, etc.. (no ON commands).. In order too switch the device back on, one locally cycles the power switch a couple of times.
Same X-10 system also controls the lawn sprinklers, and most of the lighting around the house. (system shuts off the lights at least once a day.)
The sense of well being, having left your house, and knowing you're not going to burn it down is more than worth it.
Nothing worse than being a thousand miles away, or 30 miles @ work, and thinking did I leave the Iron on !!! In lieu of an x-10 system, Yes, I recommend unplugging all low end (non-fused) heating devices when leaving. |
| |
to fartness
Having seen two separate fires caused by appliances with heating elements accidentally turned on, my rule is that any appliance which produces substantial amounts of heat gets put on a power strip w/switch & circuit breaker. The strip gets turned on when in use, turned off when done. In my homes, this includes: toaster ovens, induction cooktops, toasters, coffee makers (drip, not the Keurig), space heaters.
First one was a toaster oven, where the person had set their groceries down and went down to their car to bring up more groceries. The initial load of groceries was set on the countertop, next to the fridge and in front of the toaster oven. The groceries settled, rested against the front panel of the toaster oven, activating it. The decorative thing she had on top of the toaster oven & groceries caught fire, then the cabinets directly over the toaster oven. Whole kitchen was basically a loss. The rest of the unit suffered severe smoke damage, while the living room, dining room, and kitchen had fire and water damage. I think the water used to put out the fire caused more damage than the fire itself.
Second one happened 2 weeks ago. Person had a space heater in their bedroom with "nice digital controls" on the top of the heater. Somehow clothes, a pillow, or some other object fell off the bed and landed on top of the still-plugged-in space heater, turning it on. Fortunately the person woke up in time to get out, but after all was said & done, bedroom was a complete loss (had to replace all drywall, some attic framing) and the rest of the condo had severe smoke & water damage.
I also want to point out that we've all seen electronics do strange things with power glitches. Imagine one of your heating appliances turning itself on when you're not home. I have connected a space heater up with a conventional AC thermostat & relay, but both were designed for this and of sufficient quality that I didn't worry. Space heater was one of those oil-filled radiators so it wasn't likely to cause other objects to burst into flames. |
