Space Heaters
Spot it
A heater on the floor within a toddler's reach; a heater near a couch, curtains or bedding; a heater running off an extension cord or power strip; a heater left on while everyone sleeps or the room is empty.
Fix it
Following CPSC's 2025 winter-safety release: place heaters at least three feet from drapes, furniture and bedding; plug electric heaters directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip; never leave a portable heater on while sleeping. CPSC's older (2012) space-heater checklist adds: use a heater with a thermostat control and an automatic device that turns it off if it tips over, avoid extension cords, keep it away from furniture and anything combustible, and warn children never to insert fingers or objects through the guard. Heater surfaces and guards get hot, so give a toddler a boundary they can't cross (our reading).
Safer swaps
What actually fixes this — the category to look for, not a brand we were paid to name.
Keep it 3 feet from anything that burns; plug it straight into the wallHabit
Free; CPSC's two core rules
Turn it off when you leave the room or go to sleepHabit
Free; CPSC says never leave a portable heater on while sleeping
Heater with a thermostat and tip-over shut-off
CPSC's 2012 space-heater checklist recommends both features
Freestanding gate to keep toddlers back from the heater
Hot surfaces and guards (our reading — not on the cited CPSC page)
No shopping list for this hazard — the fix is a habit, not a purchase.
Sources cited
Sources
- CPSC counts about 1,600 fires, about 70 deaths and about 160 injuries a year from portable heaters, including electric space heaters (annual averages, 2019–2021) — U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (incl. SaferProducts.gov), 2025 (how we check this source)
Every source we cite is checked against our criteria first — see how we check our sources.