Practice propane safety and you can enjoy a warmer home or workspace

If you have a spot in your North Carolina home that your HVAC system doesn’t reach — like a sunporch, shed, garage or workshop — a propane heater may be the solution.
A propane indoor heater lets you use those spaces you normally couldn’t (at least not comfortably) when the weather turns cold. You can do projects in a workshop, or work on your car in the garage. That sunporch with the view can be enjoyed year-round. And that shed out back? Turn it into a man-cave or a she-shed.
Propane indoor heaters heat a space more efficiently and faster, with lower energy costs, than electric indoor heaters.

Choices in Propane Indoor Heaters

You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to choosing a propane indoor heater for your North Carolina home. Your options include wall-mounted propane heaters, radiant propane indoor heaters forced air propane indoor heaters, and more.
But first, there’s another choice you have to make: how the heater will be vented.
Vent-free heaters offer great efficiency and are designed to heat single rooms. But they may deplete oxygen where you use them since they have no chimney. Look for a vent-free heating unit with an oxygen depletion sensor, commonly referred to as an ODS. An ODS detects if oxygen levels aren’t safe and immediately cut off gas flow to the burner.
Vented heaters are just that. They vent out the back of the unit into a vent pipe or chimney. That venting sends any combustion exhaust safely outside.
The professionals at LG Jordan can help you choose the propane indoor heater that’s right for your needs.

Put Safety First with Propane Space Heaters

Propane indoor heaters are completely safe when used properly. That’s why you should know these propane safety tips for when you have a propane space heater in your North Carolina home.

• Select a propane indoor heater that is the right size for the space you want to heat.
• Buy a propane space heater that carries the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) label.
• Choose a propane indoor heater that has safety features like automatic shutoff in the event of a tip-over, a low oxygen sensor and a high-temperature coated safety guard on the front of the heater.
• Make sure your propane space heater is kept a safe distance away from anything combustible such as furniture, bedding, doors and curtains.
• Your propane indoor heater is not a table. Don’t set anything on it. Nor is it a dryer, so don’t use it to dry your clothes or towels.
• Keep children and pets away from your indoor space heater.
• Indoor propane heaters must never be left unattended while they’re on. Turn off the heater every time you leave the room.
• Pay attention to the flames in your indoor propane heater. If they are orange or yellow instead of blue, stop using the heater immediately and contact LG Jordan.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home, especially where you’re using a propane space heater.

Safety Differences between Indoor and Outdoor Propane Heaters

Different types of propane-powered heaters are intended for specific purposes. Using them outside the manufacturer’s intended role can lead to dangerous consequences. This includes using an outdoor propane heater indoors. Here’s why you should never do that:

• Propane-powered outdoor heaters (like patio heaters) are designed to vent combustion products into the open air. Using them in an enclosed space can result in the accumulation of dangerous gases, including carbon monoxide (CO).
• These outdoor heaters may not have the same kinds of safety shut-offs that an indoor heater has.
• Outdoor heaters are often designed to heat the largest possible area. Placing them in an enclosed space can produce a range of risks, including the possibility of the appliance overheating.
• A portable propane cylinder often fuels outdoor heaters, and under no circumstances should you ever store a propane tank or cylinder indoors.

Regarding an indoor propane heater, you should ensure that it has been installed by a licensed professional like the team at LG Jordan. Additionally, you should take these safety steps:

• Install a CO detector and a UL-listed gas leak detector near the heater.
• Ensure that all space heaters, especially vent-free heaters, are receiving proper airflow.
• Keep flammable materials well away from the heater at all times.

Again, regardless of whether you have an indoor or outdoor propane space heater, never leave it on and unattended and keep both children and pets away from it to prevent the possibility of injury. Also, if you notice that the flames in your heater are orange or yellow instead of blue, please shut off your appliance right away and reach out to us to service it. Non-blue flames indicate that your propane is not burning efficiently, and this could be creating a safety hazard.

Trust the LG Jordan professionals to help you find the right propane heater for your North Carolina home. Get in touch with us today, or visit our showroom to explore our available equipment!
Visit our showroom at 314 North Hughes St. in Apex, NC, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.!