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Leaving A Gas Heater On Overnight
While some heaters, such as direct vent models, can be left overnight, leaving a gas heater running all night is never a good idea. Understanding the design and functionality as well as knowing all the safety measures can help you prevent any risk or problem from arising.
Leaving your gas heater on overnight on a cold night can be beneficial. It makes it easier for you to fall asleep. But should you really leave your gas heater on overnight?
Gas manufacturing companies warn against it. Gas equipment companies are against it too, and we strongly caution you against it! The dangers of leaving a gas heater on overnight are worse than one can imagine.
Regardless, there are various things you should consider if you ever want to leave a gas heater on overnight. For instance, it has to be well-maintained. Luckily, there are many other heaters you can leave overnight if the cold becomes unbearable. But first, why is it so risky to leave a gas heater on overnight?
Dangers Of Leaving Your Gas Heater On Overnight
Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
A gas heater produces carbon monoxide as a result of incomplete combustion. Sadly, it’s difficult to detect carbon monoxide leaks in your home. However, one way of detecting carbon monoxide leaks is by installing carbon monoxide detectors to alert you if the carbon monoxide levels exceed a specific limit.
Remember, this gas is highly poisonous if a lot of it is inhaled. Sadly, it is tough to detect since it is a colourless and odourless gas.
Some of the common signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
- Chest pains
- Shortness of breath
- Headache
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Tiredness
People with cardiac disorders are at a higher risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The most significant risk is dying in your sleep. Faulty gas heaters emit carbon monoxide, which can make people die in their sleep since it slowly leads to asphyxia (lack of oxygen). Also, defective gas heaters put persons with heart problems at risk of developing severe health complications.
Allergies and Dry Skin
When left on for a long period, gas heaters can lead to the development of dry skin, allergies, and nausea congestion. Unflued gas heaters are known to cause respiratory diseases as they are a source of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.
However, many people are unaware of the dangers of sleeping with such gas heaters turned on. So, do you suffer from itching, redness or allergies, during winter? Probably all you need to do is to turn off your gas heater before going to bed.
Fire Risk
As stated earlier, all stakeholders in the gas industry do not recommend leaving your gas heaters on all night. Apart from carbon monoxide poisoning, the risk of fire is another threat. Fires can occur as a result of two things.
- Having items near the gas furnace that can heat up and potentially combust.
- Clogged flues and chimneys result in reversed airflow.
The above are responsible for most fires and can put you in grave danger as you sleep. This is because, as you sleep, if something goes wrong and a fire breaks out, you’ll be powerless to stop it. You may even be unconscious due to carbon monoxide poisoning. You can only limit the fire if you discover it early and act quickly. However, preventing it by turning off all gas heaters before going to sleep is the best option.
Having seen that it’s not safe to sleep with gas heaters turned on overnight, how can you deal with the cold nights in autumn and winter?
High Temperatures
During autumn, nothing beats a warm and inviting bedroom. Some heaters are meant to work at all hours, while others are dangerous if left on for an extended period. Heating equipment manufacturers recommend turning on these heaters a couple of hours before bedtime and then turning them off before retiring to bed.
If you plan to leave your heaters on overnight, it’s essential to know which type of heaters can withstand a longer period without wreaking havoc.
Heaters That Are Safe To Leave On Overnight
If you leave your heater on overnight, keep it away from furniture and curtains to avoid potential dangers. The following are the sorts of heaters that are safe to leave on overnight:
Oil Heaters
An oil heater is among the safest heaters to use in your house. Its heating element is enclosed in a metal body, making it safe to touch, and it’s unlikely to overheat or burn your property. However, oil heaters explode if the thermal fuses fail to switch them off. An oil heater with a fan reduces the chances of explosion by improving air movement over the heater.
Ceramic Heaters
Ceramic heaters warm your room by sending electric energy through a ceramic plate, which heats up over time and radiates the heat into your space. As a result, rather than the entire device becoming hot, only the ceramic plate becomes hot, while the outer plastic surface remains cold.
That being said, ceramic space heaters are safe to leave on all night because the outside shell does not heat up and thus remains cool, posing no harm to you or your family. Ceramic heaters are among the safest heaters to use throughout the night.
Infrared Heaters
These are cheap space heaters that use rays to warm objects and people rather than the air around them. Because of this, infrared heaters are safe to use overnight. However, whether you’re sleeping or not, it’s essential to take the necessary safety precautions. For example, the exterior of the infrared space heaters becomes too hot to touch if they have no cool-touch exterior.
Heaters That Should Be Turned Off Overnight
The following are the sorts of heaters you should turn off for the night:
Electric Heaters
Electric heaters can damage an electric socket and cause a fire if left on for an extended period. As a result, it’s preferable to keep the electric heaters on ahead of time and turn them off before going to sleep.
Vented Propane Heaters
Propane heaters warm a room using propane gas. They have thermostats and can be turned on or off manually or automatically since they are portable and can be used as indoor or outdoor heaters. However, they should not be left on overnight. Vented propane heaters can emit carbon monoxide and potentially cause fires. Before you go to bed, make sure your vented propane heaters are off.
Fan Heaters
A fan heater is an unsealed appliance with live electrical parts within it. Because of this, fan heaters are not suitable for use in damp situations due to the risk of electrical damage if moisture comes into contact with the live parts.
Gas Wall Heaters
Natural gas wall heaters use fuel to generate heat and thus can emit carbon monoxide. As a result, safety is essential when installing, using, or maintaining this type of heater. On the other hand, wall-mounted electric heaters can be used to avoid the dangers of gas or propane heaters.
Furthermore, gas wall heaters catch fire. A fire hazard exists even if there are no open flames, flammable oils, and gasses, or easily ignitable materials such as wood.
How To Operate A Gas Heater Safely
Every gas appliance has a manual with instructions on how to use it. It’s important to read and follow them carefully when using the gas heater. Some of the instructions to observe when using gas heaters include:
- Keep your home well ventilated. Ventilation allows fresh air to enter the house while also allowing toxic fumes to exit the house.
- Never operate gas heaters in bedrooms overnight as the carbon monoxide can fill the room and harm you in your sleep. This is common for open flued gas heaters. Testing if the gas will escape back after the heater is serviced can help.
- Always keep flammable objects away from heaters.
- Clean out the cold air vents and duct registers to reduce dust and dirt build-up.
How Long Should Your Heaters Be Left On?
Since gas heaters and space heaters are unsafe to use overnight, another question is, how long should the heaters be left on? One good reason to smile is that modern heaters can be left on for an extended period since they are equipped with several safety stems that detect harmful operating heating levels. One such feature is the overheat protection feature. This feature shuts off the heater if the temperatures become too high. Another excellent feature is the tip-over prevention, which shuts down the heater if it’s pushed on by mistake. Others have timer options that allow you to set your preferred heating time.
How To Prevent The Risks Of Using Gas Heaters Overnight
Regular Maintenance
One of the most important ways to prevent the dangers of leaving a gas heater on overnight is by regular gas maintenance. You should hire a licensed gas fitter to carry out safety checks for carbon monoxide leakage. Maintenance and checking should be done frequently on gas log fires, wall heaters, space heaters, and central heating systems.
In addition to all that, you can read the gas appliance manual to detect issues beforehand and call in the registered gasfitter. Regular cleaning of gas installations can prevent possible problems.
Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Having a carbon monoxide detector is a valuable precaution if you decide to sleep with your gas heater on. The CO alarm will notify you if the levels of carbon monoxide exceed the set limits. This way, you can prevent possible fires or carbon monoxide poisoning. However, you need to install them in all rooms close to the heating systems. Also, make sure you can hear the alarms from wherever you’ll be sleeping.
Consider Using Expert Services For Your Own Safety
While some heaters (such as patio heaters) can be left on overnight, gas heaters are not included in that list. It may be tempting to leave them on with windows open for ventilation; however, they might have major consequences. Aside from the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, leaving your gas heater on can result in a fire as well as death. Gas heaters that fulfil all gas safety regulations do not constitute a fire risk in typical conditions. It is necessary to consult a professional in case you are unsure of the safety standards needed for any gas heater.
This is probably the safest decision you can make since professionals know exactly what you need in your house and how to keep your heaters safe from the mentioned risks.
