Electrical Safety First has reported that around 4 million more people in the UK are turning to electric heaters compared with the previous year, as rising energy prices push households towards alternative forms of heating. The charity published the figure to mark Electrical Fire Safety Week 2022, which began on 1 November 20221.
The finding comes from the charity's own research. It said electric heaters are not inherently dangerous, but that they can and do cause fires if they are not used with care, with fan heaters posing an even greater risk1.
"Our research shows around 4 million more people in the UK are turning to these devices compared with last year."
The charity set out safety points for portable electric heaters, including keeping a heater at least one metre from combustible materials such as paper, furniture or curtains, and never powering a heater from an extension lead, which it said can easily be overloaded and cause fires1. It also said heaters should never be left unattended or running while people are asleep, and that second hand heaters should be avoided1.
Separate guidance covers electric blankets, including that if the fuse in a 13 amp plug requires changing, a 3 amp BS 1362 fuse must be fitted1.
The charity also flagged the Demand Flexibility Service, a scheme developed by National Grid ESO to ease pressure on the electricity supply grid by paying households to reduce their energy usage at peak times of the day. It said that this winter energy suppliers are able to financially reward customers if they run appliances during off peak hours, typically overnight1. It noted that appliances such as washing machines, tumble dryers or dishwashers account for a high proportion of electrical fires in the UK, and that a fire starting at night is more dangerous because response and escape times are delayed if people are sleeping1.
On buying, the charity said there is not enough regulation to prevent people using online marketplaces to sell counterfeit and sub-standard electrical products, as well as those subject to a product recall due to a serious safety risk1.
Why it matters for households
Electric heaters and electric blankets move a home's heating onto the electricity supply rather than gas, which is the shift the charity's figure describes. That changes what a household depends on for warmth, and it puts more load on the wiring, plugs and sockets in the home. The charity's warnings point to where that load causes trouble: extension leads, overloaded sockets, heaters placed close to furniture or curtains, and appliances left running overnight.
The Demand Flexibility Service adds a second consideration. Shifting appliance use to off peak hours, typically overnight, is the behaviour the scheme rewards, and the charity's concern is that the appliances most often shifted are also those it links to a high proportion of electrical fires. A fire that starts while a household is asleep is harder to escape.
For a home's energy independence, the practical picture is that electric heating removes reliance on a gas connection but increases reliance on the electricity supply and on the condition of the home's own electrical installation. The charity's guidance covers the parts of that a household controls: the state of heaters and blankets, the plugs and fuses they use, and whether a product has been recalled.
What happens next
No further dates or next steps have been reported. Electrical Fire Safety Week 2022 runs from 1 November 20221.
Sources1 cited
- Saving Money Safely, electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk