Is YOUR heater safe? Choice issues a warning for Aussie homeowners over dangerous heaters
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Almost every single Australian household nests at least one heater to keep us warm and toasty all throughout the cold season. Although we can’t deny how convenient this handy tool is, you may want to start double-checking whether the one you have at home won’t end up causing you more harm than good.
The consumer advocacy group Choice recently discovered that nearly half of the heaters they tested were unsafe, prompting them to issue a warning to consumers over the winter staple.
The organisation analysed a total of 15 electric heater models – and six of them (that’s 40%, folks!) failed safety standards.
“This is quite a high number we haven’t seen before,” Choice heating expert Chris Barnes revealed.
Beware of dangerous heaters! Image Credit: Sylvane
Choice performed a variety of tests to accurately measure the appliance’s safety. Among those is the ‘tilt and knock over’ test which determines a heater’s stability.
They also examined how fast a model enables its tilt switch or thermal cut-off feature when it is on the floor. The efficiency of these features is crucial as they are mainly responsible for preventing a house fire.
In addition, the testers conducted a simple towel drape test by placing a towel over a heater while it’s set to full power. This replicates common instances where people use their warming devices to dry clothes.
Whether the model is able to execute the thermal cut-off feature to prevent overheating and damage is then analysed.
The Goldair GCT270 underwent the towel drape test before it fell over. Image Credit: Choice
The final test they ran involved finding out whether the power cords are securely attached to the heating devices and if the models can regulate their own temperature properly while in use.
Unfortunately, the results they accumulated served as a warning to the millions of Australians using heaters to stay warm every winter.
“Electric heaters are a popular option,” Mr Barnes said. “They’re portable and usually cheaper to buy upfront than other heaters,”
“(But) Choice testing has found that a number of heaters have failed safety testing, so it’s important to be careful when it comes to purchasing one for your home,”
"Some of the heaters were so damaged after our safety tests that they were no longer operable – one blew a thermal fuse when we simulated knocking it over. Another became unusable after we tested how securely its power cord was attached,”
Here’s a list of the heaters that failed Choice’s safety tests:
The heaters that failed the safety test. Image Credit: Choice
Mr Barnes advised purchasing heaters with a timer and an automatic turn-off feature.
“We strongly recommend purchasing a heater that has a timer and an automatic shut-off if you can, so you don’t accidentally leave it on overnight or when you’re not home,” he continued.
“You should also generally never use a heater in the bathroom or let it come into contact with water,”
“It’s also worth being wary of particularly cheap heaters. While a few cheap heaters performed well in our tests, more often than not, it’s the inexpensive models that perform poorly or have safety issues,”
“This can be due to use of lower quality components or less of a focus on optimal design,”
Do you also opt for using heaters during winter? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Learn how you can stay safe while using heaters by watching the video below:
Video Credit: TODAY
The consumer advocacy group Choice recently discovered that nearly half of the heaters they tested were unsafe, prompting them to issue a warning to consumers over the winter staple.
The organisation analysed a total of 15 electric heater models – and six of them (that’s 40%, folks!) failed safety standards.
“This is quite a high number we haven’t seen before,” Choice heating expert Chris Barnes revealed.
Beware of dangerous heaters! Image Credit: Sylvane
Choice performed a variety of tests to accurately measure the appliance’s safety. Among those is the ‘tilt and knock over’ test which determines a heater’s stability.
They also examined how fast a model enables its tilt switch or thermal cut-off feature when it is on the floor. The efficiency of these features is crucial as they are mainly responsible for preventing a house fire.
In addition, the testers conducted a simple towel drape test by placing a towel over a heater while it’s set to full power. This replicates common instances where people use their warming devices to dry clothes.
Whether the model is able to execute the thermal cut-off feature to prevent overheating and damage is then analysed.
The Goldair GCT270 underwent the towel drape test before it fell over. Image Credit: Choice
The final test they ran involved finding out whether the power cords are securely attached to the heating devices and if the models can regulate their own temperature properly while in use.
Unfortunately, the results they accumulated served as a warning to the millions of Australians using heaters to stay warm every winter.
“Electric heaters are a popular option,” Mr Barnes said. “They’re portable and usually cheaper to buy upfront than other heaters,”
“(But) Choice testing has found that a number of heaters have failed safety testing, so it’s important to be careful when it comes to purchasing one for your home,”
"Some of the heaters were so damaged after our safety tests that they were no longer operable – one blew a thermal fuse when we simulated knocking it over. Another became unusable after we tested how securely its power cord was attached,”
Here’s a list of the heaters that failed Choice’s safety tests:
- DeLonghi TCH8993ER ceramic tower fan heater – failed the towel drape test
- Goldair GCT330 ceramic tower fan heater – failed the towel drape test
- Goldair GCT270 ceramic tower fan heater – failed the towel drape test and tilt stability test
- Click CPN2500 convection panel heater – failed the cord anchorage test
- Noirot DM73588TWIFI convection panel heater – failed the cord anchorage test
- Mill AUSG2000LED convection panel heater – failed the cord anchorage test.
The heaters that failed the safety test. Image Credit: Choice
Mr Barnes advised purchasing heaters with a timer and an automatic turn-off feature.
“We strongly recommend purchasing a heater that has a timer and an automatic shut-off if you can, so you don’t accidentally leave it on overnight or when you’re not home,” he continued.
“You should also generally never use a heater in the bathroom or let it come into contact with water,”
“It’s also worth being wary of particularly cheap heaters. While a few cheap heaters performed well in our tests, more often than not, it’s the inexpensive models that perform poorly or have safety issues,”
“This can be due to use of lower quality components or less of a focus on optimal design,”
Do you also opt for using heaters during winter? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Learn how you can stay safe while using heaters by watching the video below:
Video Credit: TODAY
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