Space heaters

why do these cause home to catch fire?

is it faulty wiring, old units, or something else i'm missing like people putting items to close and they catch fire? just curious b/c i haven't been home for 2 days and left one on.

if it is faulty wiring or wouldn't the sudden surge flip a breaker or blow a fuse if ur home has screw type fuses?

I think it's probably a combination of bad wiring and leaving it next to things that catch fire. We have a space heater here that runs all the time and so far so good.

I think space heater design has a lot to do with it as well.

Agreed, most likely faulty wiring or old designs. I have a brand new space heater that has all sort of failsafes. If the heater is tipped on its side, it will automatically turn off. It also has 'legs' that will support the heater grate off the ground if it's tipped over. If you have an older model space heater, you may want to consider purchasing a new model with more safety features.

all our heaters are new or have that fail safe feature...i was just curious...