Every winter storm season, Americans die from the same entirely preventable mistake: using heating sources designed for outdoor use inside their homes during power outages. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues winter storm safety warnings each year as temperatures drop and grid outages become more common — because the deaths from improvised indoor heating are not rare. They occur every single year, in every part of the country.
What Kills During a Power Outage
Gas ovens used for heat. Turning on a gas oven and leaving its door open to heat a room produces carbon monoxide. Gas ovens are not designed for space heating, are not equipped with CO exhaust systems for that purpose, and can raise CO levels to dangerous concentrations within minutes in an enclosed home.
Charcoal grills indoors. Burning charcoal inside a home, basement, or garage — even with windows open — produces CO at levels that can be fatal very quickly. CPSC says this is one of the most common and deadliest winter storm mistakes. Even a grill used on a covered porch adjacent to the home has caused deaths from CO infiltrating the structure.
Unvented propane heaters. Propane heaters that are not specifically certified for indoor use produce CO and should never be used inside a home, tent, or any enclosed space.
Camp stoves and other fuel-burning equipment. Any fuel-burning device produces combustion gases. None are safe for indoor use as a primary heating source.
What IS Safe During a Power Outage
- Plug-in electric space heaters with auto-shutoff features are safe when the power is on.
- Wood-burning fireplaces and wood stoves with proper chimneys and venting are safe when properly maintained.
- Battery-powered blankets and heated sleeping bags designed for indoor use.
- Layering clothing and gathering household members into one room to retain body heat.
Essential Preparation
- Install CO alarms on every level of the home and outside every sleeping area before storm season begins.
- If the CO alarm sounds during a storm, evacuate immediately and call 911.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
