Illinois, Do Not Burn Your House Down With This Big Mistake

There's a simple, but possibly deadly, mistake you could make this time of the year that you may not think of.

Whether you're a homeowner or you're renting, you're definitely making sure that your abode is winterized and ready to withstand whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at the Midwest this winter. Because let's be honest: it could be literally anything.

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I am extremely cold-natured so I'm frozen solid for most months around this time of the year. I'll do anything to warm up just a bit: wear layers, sleep under a weighted blanket (plus two more blankets, plus the comforter), and stick Hot Hands in my pockets. Absolutely anything to warm myself up.

But when it comes to winter and the tundra that is the Midwest, there's one thing you definitely should not do to stay warm, at home or at the office.

What Not To Do This Winter

You know to watch whatever you're cooking on the stovetop or oven so you don't accidentally start a fire. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, that's the number one cause of house fires. But there's another you might look over.

I have 3 space heaters in my office (reference internal temp as described above). But you have to be so careful with space heaters, no matter what kind or brand they are. And here's why.

Do not plug space heaters into a power strip. 

You may have a lot of power strips out right now for your Christmas lights, so it's easier, right? As heating professionals put it, power strips or surge protectors don't have a high enough current flow to support the electric demands of a space heater. What happens then? Kaboom, fire. You have to plug them directly into the wall. The U.S. Fire Administration says that portable heater fires have a high record of being fatal (41% of them were from 2017-2019).

Space heaters are like fireplaces. If you ignore or forget about them for a long amount of time, they can ignite. Most portable heater fires from 2017-2019 were caused by being too close to a combustible object (like a furnace) and most of them started in a bedroom. Don't plug them in by your Christmas tree either, it could catch fire.

When you leave your home, or after a few hours, turn off your space heaters. Make sure they're not where your kids can touch them.

Not all house fires start with something preventable, but this is definitely a mistake you can avoid this winter. Set an alarm on your phone when you turn the space heater on if you need to (they're only meant to run for a few hours at a time). Make sure it's strategically placed in your house. Space heaters can definitely help you feel warm and cozy this winter, but you have to be careful with them.