With winter’s chills come some large electrical bills, and that may send homeowners searching for a cheaper solution.

Portable electric space heaters may be an option, as they heat just one room rather than an entire house. If not used properly, however, portable heaters – along with improper use of other heating elements – can lead to a potentially dangerous situation.

According to the most recent National Fire Protection Association numbers, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 62,200 reported home structure fires in the United States in 2005. In addition to space heaters, the study included fires associated with chimneys and chimney connectors, central heating, fireplaces, water heaters and heat tape. These fires accounted for an estimated 670 deaths, and millions in direct property damage.

Although space heaters, excluding fireplaces and chimneys, were responsible for one-third (32 percent) of home heating fires in 2005, they were the most deadly, accounting for 73 percent of the fire deaths related to home heating. Space heaters also were responsible for three out of every five injuries in home heating fires in 2005 and half of the associated property damage.

Why are space heaters such a fire risk? Space heaters tend to be closer to household combustibles and the people occupying the home, and they tend to require a more direct role by occupants in fueling, maintenance, and operation.

The types of space heaters involved in these fires include all the major types: portable electric heaters, room gas heaters, portable kerosene heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces with or without inserts.

Please remember that all heaters are dangerous if not used properly.

If you are shopping for a portable heater, reduce risks by selecting a model that has an automatic safety switch that will turn the unit off if it is accidentally tipped over. Make sure the unit has been tested and approved by a reputable testing lab. You’ll know if it has because it will carry a label or tag saying so.

Always check the cord before you plug in a portable heater. If it is frayed, worn or broken, don’t use it. Covering the damage with tape is not enough to prevent overheating or a fire. You should, instead, consider replacing the cord or the entire unit.

Keep the heater away from sinks, tubs, wet and even damp places. This could expose you to electrical shock.

The heater should also not be placed in high traffic areas or exit areas, and should be kept at least three feet away from curtains, bedding, newspapers or anything that may burn.

Never leave a portable heater unattended, and never leave it on after you have gone to bed or left the house.

There is a big difference between portable electric heaters and portable propane heaters. Portable propane heaters are not intended for indoor use; they are intended to be used on loading docks or decks, at camp sites, or to keep people warm as they hunt, ice fish or chop wood.

If you use a portable propane heater inside a house, tent or car, you run the risk of exposing yourself to deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Never use a propane heater indoors.

The same warnings apply to kerosene heaters, which can also expose you to indoor pollutants.

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