When winter temperatures run dangerously low and your heating system stops working, you might be tempted to turn on the stove for warmth. Although your cooking range wasn’t designed to heat the home, using it in a desperate situation sounds plausible, right? Wrong. Not only would such an act be inefficient, it could threaten your safety, as well. Here are a few reasons your stove should never be used to heat the home.

It’s Unproductive

Although standing close to the stove might give you temporary warmth, the unit’s design makes it an ineffectual stand-in for central heating. Since it only heats elements on or near it, it can’t circulate enough warm air to cozy up your dwelling. To heat a room or small apartment, a space heater makes more sense. They are relatively inexpensive and do an excellent job of generating enough warmth to get you through until your heater can be fixed. Depending on the size of your house, you might need two or three units, but being prepared during an emergency is always better than scrambling for a quick fix when disaster strikes.

It’s Dangerous

Though running an electric oven doesn’t pose a carbon monoxide risk like a gas oven, it’s still not fail-safe. Depending on the temperature you use, leaving the stove on too long can melt temperature dials. In a scarier scenario, the longer an electric stove runs unattended, the greater the chance of an electrical breakdown and possible fire. Not to mention, the cost of running an electric stove pales in comparison to that of a space heater. Why not protect your wallet along with your home?

Another risk of continuously running a stove is the danger it poses to children and pets. Not only could a small child or cat mistakenly touch the heating element, but something could fall on its surface and catch on fire. In short, exposed hot surfaces are never a solid plan.

Final Thoughts

Your stove is there for cooking. If you want to keep warm this winter, consider investing in adequate warm clothing and a few space heaters. Better yet, have a trusted HVAC company on hand to evaluate your system before temperatures drop or fix any problems that arise without warning. But whatever you do, please don’t try to heat your home with an electric (or gas) stove. The risks far outweigh the benefit.

Call Vredevoogd Heating & Cooling for all your plumbing, heating, & cooling needs. In the greater West Michigan, Lakeshore, and surrounding areas call: 844-HVAC-365