Safe, sound, effective: What to look for when you buy a room heater

The device must do its job for less power and need not be kept on all the time

Six people died in their sleep in two different places in Delhi after inhaling fumes from coal braziers they had lit up for warmth in the January cold. Fuel-based heaters are unsafe but it is the best the poor can afford. 

Electric heaters do not emit carbon monoxide but should be used responsibly still, says Dr Seema Dhir, senior consultant in internal medicine at Artemis Hospitals in Gurugram. “Ensure proper ventilation, limit usage time, stay hydrated, maintain a comfortable room temperature, and adhere to safety precautions,” she says.

Convectors and room heaters are selling well as North India battles a