Space Heaters Guidelines

OMB Control Number 3041-0029

Investigation Guideline
Portable Electric Space Heaters
Appendix 63
Revised December 1998

Background Information
Portable electric heaters are usually small, lightweight appliances equipped with
cords and plugs for connection to a general-purpose electrical receptacle. These
heaters are intended to be used to warm a room or part of a room allowing the
central heating system’s thermostat to be at a lower temperature. There are
numerous variations of design concepts that have been, are, or could be
produced in conformance with the voluntary standards for such heaters. The
voluntary standards for portable electric heaters are based on the expectation
that the heaters are used for short-time supplemental heating purposes.
However, consumers often use these heaters for extended time periods to save
money on central heating costs.
In 1996, the latest year for which data are available, portable electric heaters
were associated with about 2,500 fires, 130 deaths, 200 injuries, and about $45
million dollars in property loss. Between 1992 and 1996, the estimated number of
fires, deaths, and injuries have remained fairly constant. In 1996, an estimated
25 percent of all U.S. households had at least one portable electric heater. The
estimated life expectancy of these heaters ranged from 5 to 12 years with an
average of about 8 years of useful life.
Portable electric heaters were a major focus of CPSC in the late 1980s and new
safety requirements in the voluntary standard went into effect in 1991. Since that
time, data do not appear to indicate a trend in either a downward or upward
direction. During FY99, data collection is planned for this product. Following the
collection of data, an analysis of the data will be done. The analysis will help
assess the adequacy of the current edition of the voluntary standard and help in
making further recommendations for change in the standard.
Types of Portable Electric Space Heaters
Portable electric heaters are currently permitted by the voluntary standards to be
rated as much as 1500 watts. In the past, the standards permitted such heaters
to be rated as much as 1800 watts. Portable electric heaters consume electric
energy at the highest rates of any consumer electrical products which are
portable, require no installation for use, operate for long time periods, and

operate in an unattended-mode. There are two basic kinds of portable electric
heaters: radiant and convection.
Radiant heaters, by use of glowing coils and reflectors, direct energy into the
room. This type of heat is absorbed primarily by objects in the room; the
surrounding air is not directly heated. They work well for "spot" heating, but may
not be satisfactory if a consumer moves around a room. Parabolic heaters are a
type of radiant heater. The heat is produced by a coiled wire element wrapped
around a ceramic cone. This heat is directed in a concentrated beam by a
parabolic reflector which results in most of the heat being directed at a target
area. Parabolic heaters cost approximately $70-$100 and typically use about
1,000 watts, producing 3,413 BTU's per hour. Quartz heaters are another type of
radiant heater. They are slender, stand either in an upright or horizontal position,
and use quartz tubes instead of open coils/ribbons/wires or sheathed element.
The heater should have a grill that does not allow children to poke fingers or
objects into the tube area. Quartz heaters cost approximately $40-$70 and have
an average size of 750-1,500 watts, which is equivalent to 2,560-5,120 BTU's per
hour output. These heaters are also available in dual wattages which allow you to
have a low and high heat setting.
Convection heaters warm air by moving it across a heating element or heat
exchanger and blowing the warmed air by means of a fan into the surrounding
room. They include ceramic or nichrome resistive wire heaters. The approximate
cost for a convection-type electric heater is $20-$50, with a range from 750-1,500
watts, or equivalent to 2,560-5,120 BTU's per hour output. Many of these heaters
are also available in dual wattages, which gives you the option of a low or high
setting. There are also forced-air convection heaters which use electric coils to
produce the heat and a fan to distribute the heat throughout the room. The
ceramic disc heater is a type of forced-air convection heater. Prices for this type
of heater range from $40-$150 and have a range in size of 350-1,500 watts,
which is equivalent to 1,195-5,120 BTU's per hour output. Radiator-type heaters
which may be either water or oil-filled are also classified as convection heaters.
They usually do not include a fan but employ large heat exchanger surfaces to
warm the surrounding air.
The following chart may help in identifying the type of portable electric heater.
Heater Type

Element Type

Radiant

Quartz Tube

Radiant
Radiant
Radiant
Fan-Forced Radiant
Fan-Forced Convection
Natural Convection

Open Ribbon
Open Coil
Sheathed Element
Any of the Above
Open Wire
Any-heater
surface defines

Element Surface
Temperature
High
Moderate to High
Moderate to High
Low to Moderate
Any of the Above
Low
Very Low

Hot Element
Surface Color
Very Bright,
Almost White
Bright Cherry Red
Bright Cherry Red
Dull Red
No Change
No Change
No Change

Investigation Instructions
The attached data record sheet will ensure a uniform approach for gathering data
about incidents associated with portable electric heaters. Every completed field
investigation should contain a completed data record sheet, in addition to the
CPSC standard 182 form and standard narrative description of the incident.
Photographs of the product and any other products involved in the incidents
should be included in the investigation. If applicable, a copy of the attending fire
department’s report of the incident or any other official report of the incident
should be included.

Free Text Summary
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Describe the sequence of events that led to the incident. If a fire
incident occurred, determine what material ignited first and estimate
any property damage including both flame spread damage (e.g.,
heater, small area surrounding heater, room , floor, entire structure,
etc.) and property dollar loss.
Describe incident, including component failure or multiple failures (if
known) and subsequent events.
For data retrieval from the computer, please use the following key
words in the free text summary as appropriate: portable electric
space heater, fire, shock.

Description of Victim/User Contact With Product
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Describe accident scenario, including any deaths or injuries sustained.
Indicate experience or knowledge the victim/user had of the product,
(e.g. whether instructions or operating manual had been read,
understood, kept).
Determine the specific purpose for use, how often used, for what
length of time heater was in use prior to the accident, and the heat
setting at time of incident.

Description of Product
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Describe the product characteristics (e.g. type, size, dimensions, BTU
rating, volts, amps, watts).
List manufacturer name, brand, model and serial number.
Describe any safety certification labels, such as UL, CSA, ETL or other
certification, or conformance with specific standards. Describe any
safety features the product has (e.g. automatic tipover cutoff, indicator
light, etc.) The tipover cutoff may not be visible on the outside of the
heater. All heaters manufactured after 1991 should have an

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indicator light present. Some heaters manufactured prior to 1991
may also have an indicator light.
Provide wording of any warning labels or other information on rating
plate.
Describe type of heater (e.g., forced air, radiant, quartz, etc.)
Specify age of product, date of purchase, whether the heater was
purchased new, used or reconditioned.
Indicate product history (e.g., previous problems, defects,
malfunctions, maintenance repairs, etc.) If repaired, include dates and
by whom repaired (factory serviceman, handyman, owner, etc.).
Determine whether an extension cord was used. If so, indicate whether
other appliances were plugged in on the same cord, including
amperage requirements. Indicate age, wire size, type, condition and all
markings on the extension cord. Determine whether the cord or
extension cord was under furniture or carpet. Collect as a subsample,
if possible.
For heater cord, provide length, conditions, wire size, number of
conductors, and position. Indicate if the cord was bundled up,
bunched, under furniture or carpet, and whether it had a 2 prong or 3
prong plug. Specify all markings on cord and plug.
Describe the types of controls on the unit and switch settings.
Specify whether the power switch has an “off” position and whether
there is a noticeable “click” when the switch is turned to the “off”
position.
Determine the stability of the heater (if it might have been a factor in
the incident).
Indicate any excessive heater surface temperature observed by user
prior to incident.
Specify how often the appliance was cleaned and what the cleaning
procedure was.
Determine whether the unit was repaired or replaced after the
accident. Talk to repairman to determine the cause of failure.

Description of Victim/User
•

Indicate the victim’s/user’s age, sex, height, weight, body
measurements where appropriate, competence reducing factors (e.g.,
impaired vision, physical handicaps, medication, etc.), experience and
knowledge of product and perception of hazards.

Description of Environment
•

Describe the place of storage of the unit during the non-heating
season, and the area surrounding it (cleanliness, neatness of use area,
wet or dry location).

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Indicate if the unit is used near combustible materials. Indicate the
distance from and type of these materials at the time of accident.
Indicate the type and location of the electrical outlet in relation to the
heater. Determine whether GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) was
present on the outlet or whether the branch circuit was GFCI protected
(GFCI breaker) and whether the GFCI operated to turn off the current
during the incident.
Describe the location of the product at the time of the incident (e.g., on
the floor, top of chair or table, level or uneven surface etc.) and
whether the heater was in operation at the time of the incident.
Describe the overcurrent protection device (e.g. ampere rating, fuse,
circuit breaker). Determine whether this device turned off the current
during the incident.
Specify wire size and material (copper or aluminum) of branch circuit to
which appliance was connected.

Photographs of Incident Scene
Photos of the products involved and diagrams describing the location of
the incident should be included in the investigation report. If possible,
please include photographs of the fire scene on-site, and perform the
following steps to thoroughly diagram and photograph the incident scene
and factors related to incident sequence:
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If fire escaped the heater and propagated to the surroundings,
describe point of origin and path of propagation.
Take a sequence of photographs where the portable heater was found
starting from the area of no fire-related damage, progressing towards
the area of the most damage. Number them in sequence. Clearly
mark point of origin on photo with an "X". Mark a reference direction for
description of locations in this report.
Photograph close-up views of the heater involved in incident, and fire
damaged components mentioned in the report. Do not disassemble the
sample.
Photograph location of the heater to illustrate the surrounding area,
and proximity to any combustible materials.
Draw a sketch of the shape of the room where the portable heater was
located. Indicate the place you were standing (with a circle) and the
direction you were facing (with an arrow) when you took the
photograph. The numbered photographs (in sequence) should
correspond to the numbered circles in the sketch. See example in Fig.
1.
Use the sketch of the room to show location of furniture, curtains,
combustible materials, and any other appliances within same room at
the time of incident.

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Indicate whether more than one room or the entire building suffered
fire-related damage.

Sample Collection Instructions
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Collect all samples where the heater is still identifiable, i.e. do not
collect samples where the entire heater is burned beyond recognition.
Do not collect samples of water-filled or oil-filled radiator-type heaters.
Send all samples to the sample custodian at CSPC warehouse
and notify Mai Ngo in Engineering Sciences at 301- 504-0508
x1310.

Instruction for Obtaining Official Documents
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Determine whether the fire department attended the incident and
obtain copy of fire incident, casualty, and investigation reports.
Obtain copies of any official report if fire department did not attend
(e.g. police report, emergency response report, service/repair report,
insurance report, etc.)

The following pages are examples of portable electric heaters.

RADIANT HEATERS

FAN-FORCED RADIANT HEATERS

FAN-FORCED CONVECTION HEATERS

FAN-FORCED CONVECTION HEATERS
(CERAMIC HEATERS)

SAMPLE CONTROLS

Investigation Guideline
Data Record Sheet for Portable Electric Space Heaters
Task Number
Description of Heater
Visibly Glowing Glass-Like Tube (Quartz)
Visibly Glowing Element with Fan
Visibly Glowing Element without Fan
Non-glowing or Hidden Element with Fan
Non-glowing or Hidden Element without Fan
Oil-filled
Water Filled
Other
Unknown

Mark "Y" to one choice

Age of Heater

Enter number of years,
months, or days

Years
Months
Days
Unknown
Date Purchased
Date Manufactured
Condition at Time of Purchase
New
Used
Rebuilt
Damaged
Unknown
Electrical Characteristics
Volts
Amps
Watts
Unknown

Mark "Y" to one choice

Enter volts, amps,or watts

Dimensions
Height
Width
Depth
Leg Height
Unknown
Enclosure Material
Metal
Plastic
Combination Metal/Plastic
Other
Unknown
Heater Cord Characteristics
Length (Enter length in inches)
Round or Flat
Condition Before Incident
Cord Bundled Up?
Number of Plug Prongs
Can plug be plugged into standard duplex outlet?
Extension Cord Used at Time of Incident?
Heater Unplugged Between Uses
Heater Controls
Separate On/Off Switch
On/Off Switch Part of Another Control
Power Indicator Light Present
(All heaters manufactured after 1991 have an indicator light).
(Some heater manufactured prior to 1991 may have an indicator light.)

Adjustable Thermostat
Thermostat Settings (List all settings)
Thermostat Setting at Time of Incident
Multiple Wattage Settings
Wattage Setting at Time of Incident
Fan Speed Control Present
Fan Speed at Time of Incident
Timer Present
Maximum Setting of Timer in Minutes / Hours
Clock Present on Heater
Safety Tipover Switch Present

Enter dimension in inches

Mark "Y" to one choice

Circle / Specify
Round Flat
Unknown
Damaged Good Unknown
Yes
No
Unknown
2
3
Unknown
Yes
No
Unknown
Yes
No
Unknown
Yes
No
Unknown
Circle / Specify
Yes
No
Unknown
Yes
No
Unknown
Yes
Yes

No
No

Unknown
Unknown

Yes

No

Unknown

Yes

No

Unknown

Yes

No

Unknown

Yes
Yes

No
No

Unknown
Unknown

Specific Purpose of Heater
Supplemental Heat, Temporary
Supplemental Heat, Prolonged
Sole Source of Heat, Temporary
Sole Source of Heat, Prolonged
Other
Unknown

(Mark "Y" for one choice)

Reason for Using Portable Heater
Provided Cheaper Heat
Other Fuel Source Not Available
Wanted to Heat Only Certain Area
Wanted to Heat Area Quickly
Other
Unknown

(Mark "Y" for one choice)

Frequency of Usage
Number of Months per Year
During Months Used, What Frequency of Usage:
Daily
If Daily, Specify Hours Per Day
Occasionally
If Occasionally, Specify Usage
Storage Location of Heater in Off Season

Circle / Specify

Yes

No

Unknown

Yes

No

Unknown

Length of Time Heater Used Before Incident
Less Than 1 Hour
1 Hour
2 Hours
3 Hours
Other (Specify time length)
Unknown

(Mark "Y" for one choice)

Status of Heater When Consumer Away From Home
Thermostat Turned Down
Thermostat Turned to Freeze Position
Turned to the Off Position
Unplugged
No Adjustments Made to Controls
Other, Specify
Unknown

(Mark "Y" for one choice)

Prior Problems With Heater
Overheating
Causing Nearby Object or Wall to Overheat
Cord or Plug Overheating
Heat Blow Fuse or Trip Circuit Breaker
Other, Describe
None

Mark "Y" for all that apply

Heater Ever Repaired
If Repaired, Describe Repair

Yes

Victim Info
Victim1

Victim2

Victim3

Victim4

No

Unknown

Specify
Victim5

Age
Sex
Nature of Injury
Victim Asleep
at Time of Incident
Incident Location
Area Messy/Unclean
Area Neat/ Clean
Indicate Room of Home
Combustibles Nearby
If Combustibles Nearby, Describe Combustible Item
If Combustibles Nearby, Estimate Location
of Item From Heater ( In Inches)
Unknown

Circle / Specify
Yes
No
Unknown
Yes
No
Unknown
Yes

No

Unknown

Type of Outlet Heater Plugged Into at Time of Incident
Wall Outlet
Light Fixture Outlet
Outlet Built Into an Appliance
Other, Specify
Unknown

Mark "Y" for one choice

Location of Product at Time of Incident
Floor
Chair
Table
Other, Specify
Unknown

Mark "Y" for one choice

Material on Which Heater was Placed
High Pile Carpeting
Low Pile Carpeting
Vinyl, Linoleum Flooring
Wood Flooring
Upholstered Furniture
Other Furniture, Specify
Other Material, Specify
Unknown

Mark "Y" for one choice

Type of Dwelling
Single Family, Detached
Single Family, Attached
Apartment
Mobile Home
Other
Unknown

Mark "Y" for one choice

Age of Dwelling (In Years)
Estimated Property Damage (In Dollars)
First Item to Ignite Other Than Heater
Bedding
Carpet
Drapes
Clothing
Furniture
Other, Specify
Unknown

Mark "Y" for one choice