Is Your Heater Making You Sick? | Sharp HealthCare (2024)

FAQs

Is Your Heater Making You Sick? | Sharp HealthCare? ›

Is it true that your heater is making you sick? “When you turn on your heater for the first time, dust, pollen and other indoor allergens may cause sinus congestion,” says Dr. Anuja Vyas, a board-certified pulmonary disease doctor with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group. “These symptoms may make you feel sick.”

One of the most common reasons for heater sickness is unclean air. The EPA estimates that indoor air can be between 2 and 5 times more polluted than the air outside, and a faulty heater can ramp up those pollutants in no time.

Room heaters can cause dryness in the air, which can result in dry skin, dry eyes, and dry throat. This can further lead to respiratory issues, nasal congestion, and increased susceptibility to infections.

Room heaters can significantly reduce indoor humidity levels, leading to dry air. This dryness can irritate the respiratory system, causing issues such as dry throat, nasal congestion, and exacerbating pre-existing respiratory conditions like asthma or allergies.

Second, heaters can create air circulation that leads to particles—such as dust, pollen, and pet dander--being circulated throughout the space. If someone has allergies or sensitivities to these allergens and inhales them while sitting near the heater, this could result in a sore throat.

Toxic indoor air is also a major threat to respiratory health. Indoor heating systems such as wood stoves, gas water heaters and central heating systems with furnaces and chimneys have the potential to be a source of carbon monoxide poisoning if misused.

A space heater that is not installed right or not working properly can release carbon monoxide and other toxic fumes into the room and use up much of the oxygen in the room.

02/9What makes it dangerous? Sleeping with the heater on increases the levels of carbon monoxide in the room. People with heart disease may get chest pain, while smokers with heart disease are particularly at risk, so are young children and elderly. The risk of asphyxia (sleep death) is high when using gas heaters.

Radiators heat the air in a room and as the air warms up, it rises in a process known as convection. This causes the warm air to move, which can circulate dust around the room. "If dust is circulated around the room, you can end up inhaling it, which can worsen asthma symptoms," says Jarvis.

What are the disadvantages of electric heaters? ›

The disadvantages of electric heating encompass slower heating times and higher energy bills over time. For instance, an electric furnace can take a significant amount of time to power the included heating element and adequately warm the air within a home.

It isn't bad to run your heating system on a 24/7 basis if outdoor weather conditions demand indoor warmth. For many households, maintaining a constant indoor temperature is the only way to survive the winter. Just be aware that this is likely to cause additional wear and tear on your heating system.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), at least 430 people die annually in the U.S. from accidental carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. While electric space heaters do not produce carbon monoxide (CO), non-electric space heaters (propane gas, natural gas, kerosene, wood) can if incomplete combustion occurs.

While in use, heaters lower humidity levels in your home and force hot air through dusty, dirty vents, filters and ducts, if poorly maintained. Constantly breathing extremely warm, dry air that may contain fungi, mold and mildew from the vents can affect your skin, nose, throat and eyes.

You may also suffer from headaches due to carbon monoxide from faulty furnaces. Watery/itchy eyes: You can have dry, watery eyes from too much dust and dry air. Sore throat: Your throat can become sore from bacteria and dryness in the air. Dryness: You can feel too dry from your central heating.

“When you turn on your heater for the first time, dust, pollen and other indoor allergens may cause sinus congestion,” says Dr. Anuja Vyas, a board-certified pulmonary disease doctor with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group. “These symptoms may make you feel sick.”

Heat exhaustion is a condition that happens when your body overheats. Symptoms may include heavy sweating and a rapid pulse. Heat exhaustion is one of three heat-related illnesses, with heat cramps being the mildest and heatstroke being the most serious.

Long-term exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide can also lead to impaired thinking and concentration, emotional changeability, irritability and impulsiveness. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are non-specific and can be mistaken for a flu-like illness or even food poisoning.

Older heating systems can have problems such as faulty furnaces that may be adding to your sickness and posing a carbon monoxide poisoning threat. Furthermore, gas furnaces create nitrogen dioxide, which can cause asthma in children.

In addition to carbon monoxide, kerosene heaters can emit such pollutants as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. Breathing these substances can create a risk, especially to such people as pregnant women, asthmatics, individuals with cardiovascular disease, elderly persons and young children.