The deadly reason why you should NEVER sleep with your room heater on
During the winter season, there is nothing
more comforting than snuggling in your razai /blanket with the room heater on.
But doctors warn that leaving your heaters on for the entire night
cannot only lead to sleepless nights, dry skin, and allergy but can even
prove to be fatal. Yes, you read that right.
What makes it dangerous?
Sleeping with the heater on increases the
levels of carbon monoxide in the room above the safe level. People with
heart disease may get chest pain, while smokers with heart disease are
particularly at risk, so are young children and elderly.The risk of asphyxia (sleep death) is high when using gas heaters. The excessive carbon monoxide in the room chokes the supply of blood to the brain, which can lead to haemorrhage and eventually death.
Dry skin, conjunctivitis, allergy
The comforting heaters can also lead to
dry skin and irritation in the eyes. In case of dry eyes, it can also
lead to conjunctivitis. Dry skin can lead to itchiness, redness and
allergy.
To combat this problem, if you are using a heater in your room, you can keep a mug full of water near to it, to maintain the moisture in the room.
People who have heart diseases, asthma or are old should be very cautious about using the room heaters.
To combat this problem, if you are using a heater in your room, you can keep a mug full of water near to it, to maintain the moisture in the room.
People who have heart diseases, asthma or are old should be very cautious about using the room heaters.
Precautions to take while using room heaters
Do not keep anything near the heater.
Take special care of inflammable items paper, bedding, furniture and
blanket by keeping them at least two-three feet away.
Keep the heater on a hard, non-inflammable surface and not on carpets, wood or plastic.
Keep your pets and kids away from the heater.
Do not ever leave the heater unattended. Avoid the carbon monoxide poisoning by turning off the heater and unplugging it before leaving the room or going to the bed.
Signs of too much carbon monoxide in the rooms include headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, discomfort, vomiting, nausea and weakness.
Convection/oil heaterKeep the heater on a hard, non-inflammable surface and not on carpets, wood or plastic.
Keep your pets and kids away from the heater.
Do not ever leave the heater unattended. Avoid the carbon monoxide poisoning by turning off the heater and unplugging it before leaving the room or going to the bed.
Signs of too much carbon monoxide in the rooms include headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, discomfort, vomiting, nausea and weakness.
Types of heaters and the safest one to use
Convection heaters are the ones that are filled with heat, they transfer oil to radiate the heat from the external surface area. The heater comes with a thermostat to regulate the temperature. These heaters are low maintenance and do not require regular cleaning. The heat from these heaters spreads slowly as compared to other heaters.
Conduction heaters
These room heaters spread the heat through a
metallic coil that glows upon being heated electrically. The nearby
areas are first heated, which further spreads the heat in the entire
room.
Fan heaters
These heaters work on convection mode and
can heat a closed room very quickly. But because a fan is always running
inside it, they are noisy and unsafe to be used in humid conditions.
Radiant and infrared heaters
Radiant heaters provide you with instant
heat through the infrared rays. They don’t use much electricity and work
silently unlike the fan heaters. These heaters are best for people who
are prone to dust allergies because they heat the objects and not the
air around them.
Which is the best and the safest heater?
Though fan heaters turn out to be the cheapest ones, an oil-filled heater is better as it heats the entire room in an even manner."Although various types of heaters are available as a means to provide comfort in winters they have a variable effect on health over the long term. Fan heaters and infrared heaters reduce the oxygen levels and humidity in the room which can cause dry eyes and nasal blockage over the long term. It is advisable to keep a bucket of water in the corner of the room or use a humidifier to prevent significant dehydration.
Oil-filled room heaters do not burn oxygen nor reduce humidity while heating the room. They are usually the best choices for children and the elderly as they do not cause dehydration. They are the best option as they do not cause any suffocation or dry eyes, skin rashes."