My space heater was making me sick

16 years ago

I thought I'd pass this along in case anyone has weird symptoms....and a new space heater.

I started getting frequent headaches (headaches are very unusual for me), and was dragging myself around feeling completely hungover Â without benefit of alcohol. My head felt stuffed with cotton, I was sensitive to light, bleary-eyed, had difficulty thinking clearly, and so on. Very unpleasant!

I felt better out of the house, so I started wondering if my oil burner was giving off something that was making me sick. I posted on the Heating and A/C forum about it, and one of the members asked if I had brought anything new into the house. At first I thought no, but then I remembered the ceramic heater I'd bought in October but had just recently started using under my computer desk.

I unplugged the heater and removed it from the area, and I've been feeling a lot better!

Like I said, I thought I'd share this in case someone else might be in a similar situation.

Susan

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Comments (8)

evatx
16 years ago
Oh my gosh! I'm so glad you found the cause of your distress - sounds like you could have ended up even sicker than you were. Also glad you're o.k. now.
glenda_al
16 years ago
Have one in my bathroom, and turn it on ONLY when I am ready to get a bath.

No problem!
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monica_pa Grieves
16 years ago
I've been using ceramic heaters for years, both at home and in my office. I can't imagine what could make you sick.
minnie_tx
16 years ago
Was it a fueled heater? I can't imagine an electric heater.
alisande
Original Author
16 years ago
No, it's electric. I don't think there's anything wrong with ceramic heaters in general. In fact, I think we used to have another one that we used in the bathroom.

I suspect it was more of an outgassing problem, or a case of the heater burning off some sort of coating. I also think it's likely that I'm more sensitive to chemicals than I used to be. The heater had a definite odor, though.

Someone on the Heating and Air Conditioning forum posted a link to a discussion of electric heaters. On it, I read the following:

I also have a Holmes Ceramic Heater & I am specifically on this site looking for someone, anyone, who has experienced weird effects which may be caused by the heater. I have this heater by my desk at work, & I have been having noticing light headness, dry cough & chest congestion while I'm at work. It wasnt until recently that I realized that these symptoms are worse when its cold & I'm running this little heater & then they go away after a few hours of being home in the evening.

Earlier in the discussion, someone had posted about her Holmes ceramic heater giving her a stuffy head to the point of headaches. Mine is a Holmes, too.
minnie_tx
16 years ago
This info is good to know. I have several little floor heaters but no ceramic ones I bet it is the coating on it or something. Let us know if you find out more.
okwriter
16 years ago
If it's outgassing, will it eventually burn off? In other words, if you ran it outside on a covered porch or something for a few hours, would it quit putting off whatever fume is making you sick? Just seems such a shame for it to go to waste!
alisande
Original Author
16 years ago
You know, I think that might be a posssiblity. But I have such an aversion to the unit at this point that I'm not going to try. I bought it at Walmart and still have the receipt. Maybe they'll take it back.

My only other experience with chemical sensitivity happened several years ago after I bought a new photo printer. When I opened the box, I got instantly dizzy. I was unfamiliar with outgassing, but a friend clued me in. It was winter, so I set it up in a room and blew a fan on it for a day. Eventually I was able to remove it from the box and use it. It's been in my bedroom ever since with no problem.

At least no problem that I know of. :-)

My space heater was making me sick

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evatx

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My space heater was making me sick

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