The quickest and best answer to the above warning is to not use them. Period. If you use unvented gas, kerosene or any other fuel, open flame heat, you are facing several dangerous things, even possible death of yourself and family. So, if there is any way possible for you to change, do so. Either of these fuels are safe if properly vented but are very dangerous when they are not vented.
Natural or propane gas and kerosene are the most commonly used space heaters, especially in cases of electrical power outages. If your home heating system is dependent upon electricity to operate, you would still do well to chunk the space heaters and purchase a good generator for those emergencies. But if you have them installed permanently and used for regular heat, you are truly in danger.
Open gas or kerosene flames give off several elements, one is moisture, one is Carbon Monoxide and several others, but these two are the problem areas along with the fact that these flames also consume oxygen. The recently manufactured space heaters have to meet federal regulations and have an automatic shutoff when the CO content reaches a certain level. However, there are still reasons to question the safety of those. Here is a quote from the Advanced Energy website in response to a lady inquiring about the wisdom of having a new unvented gas heater installed as her neighbor has done recently.
"The good news is that only a few of the homes with these units have high levels of CO. The bad news is that lots of them have low levels of CO, and there is an increasing body of medical evidence that low level CO exposure can have serious health consequences. So my opinion is that your sister is absolutely right, and if you care about your neighbors you'll convince them to get rid of the thing." (Arnie Katz: advanced energy.org)
But let's speak directly to those of you who have the unvented heaters and are unable to convert to the safe vented type or some other means. First of all, recognize the dangers involved with these heaters. If fed from gas lines, either natural or propane, make certain that all fittings are well sealed with no leaks. Your gas company will probably make a thorough examination with leak detectors free, if you request it. It is best if the heaters have a safety shut off in case of high CO levels but whether or not it has such, you need to install one or more smoke detectors and CO and/or oxygen level detectors. Check them regularly for low battery charge.
Secondly, if possible, do not use them at night when sleeping. If you must, and even though it is cold weather, raise a window an inch or two in any room where someone is sleeping. Try to manage to shut the heaters off two or three times during the day for an hour or so. The longer they are used constantly, the higher the CO continues to climb.
If, after all is done, you experience any spells of dizziness after the heater have been on for a long while, turn it off and get some fresh air into the house. It is reported that some children with asthma are worsened by even low exposure to Carbon Monoxide. It is very toxic and should be recognized as a danger. Here is a paragraph taken from Wikipedia:
Carbon monoxide is a significantly toxic gas and has no odor or color. It is the most common type of fatal poisoning in many countries. Exposures can lead to significant toxicity of the central nervous system. Carbon monoxide can also have severe effects on the fetus of a pregnant woman. Symptoms of mild poisoning include headaches and dizziness at concentrations less than 100 ppm. Concentrations as low as 667 ppm can cause up to 50% of the body's haemoglobin to be converted to carboxy-haemoglobin (HbCO). Carboxy-haemoglobin is quite stable but this change is reversible. Carboxy-haemoglobin is ineffective for delivering oxygen, resulting in some body parts not receiving oxygen needed. As a result, exposures of this level can be life-threatening. In the United States, OSHA limits long-term workplace exposure levels to 50 ppm.rvous system and heart. Following poisoning, long-term sequelae often occurs.
If you must use space heaters, electric ones are safest, however even they pose certain dangers. They cause many fires. Be sure that your electric wiring is in good condition as well as your outlets and the wire and plug on the heater is also undamaged. If your plug fits loosely in the outlet, DON'T use it! Heaters draw a heavy amperage and loose fitting plugs will overheat and are the most often cause of a fire. Each time it heats up, even if it does not catch fire, it becomes even more loose and will eventually ignite a fire if not taken care of. Other precautions of electric heaters are, be sure to leave adequate space between the heater and any combustible materials, walls, curtains, clothing, furniture, etc. Never use an extension cord with an electric heater if it can possibly be avoided. If unavoidable, be certain that it is as short as possible and heavy duty. Check to see that it is not becoming hot after using for a half hour. Never run an extension cord, or the heater cord, under a carpet. Try to avoid leaving any electric heater unattended or while sleeping.
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