Are electric in-wall heaters safe?

[ravvlet]

It’s been a really awful week for us. Our cockatiel Cricket mysteriously passed away in his sleep Monday night, and while we rushed his body to his regular vet that AM for a necropsy (and we brought our OWA Kirby to the emergency vet to make sure he’s stable), we are still awaiting necropsy results as the vet is out of office and did not have time to call before end of day Tuesday.

I am beside myself with anxiety trying to figure out how this could have happened. I’ve been trying to eliminate potential candidates for safety hazards, and one of the things that came to mind was that the room uses a King Electric model W economy wall heater. I assumed it was safe as it’s the kind of heater nearly every apartment and home I’ve lived in has, but to be double sure I contacted the manufacturer via email to see if any part is PFTE coated - supposedly, it’s a nichrome open coil element which sounds like it ISN’T coated, but the guy I got on the phone said that he wasn’t sure and to send an email that he’ll pass along to the engineering team.

Am I being paranoid here? The emergency vet said she did hear some noise in Kirby’s air sacs but that she didn’t see any issue on X-ray, and we are waiting for his CBC/differential. I can’t leave the heater off in that room as it simply gets too cold.

Really hoping their normal vet contacts us soon to let us know if she was able to determine what happened to our little guy.

 

[ravvlet]

Update: I got a response from the manufacturer. The coil is definitely PTFE/Teflon free. Relieved to know it’s safe.

 

[SailBoat]

Electric wall heaters commonly use PTFE/Teflon or like products to coat the open coils. Since PTFE/Teflon are specific chemicals, any variation from their chemistry make-up and it can be said that PTFE/Teflon was not used. Not saying that this is true with this manufacturer, but!!

If you are using that room for a Bird room, move them out, to play it safe.

If I was using potable heating, I would consider those oil filled, electric radiators that can be placed near anywhere. Or, Ceramic incased, closed coil electric heater, commonly seen offices for under desk heating.

Very sorry for your loss, dear friend.

 

[ravvlet]

Electric wall heaters commonly use PTFE/Teflon or like products to coat the open coils. Since PTFE/Teflon are specific chemicals, any variation from their chemistry make-up and it can be said that PTFE/Teflon was not used. Not saying that this is true with this manufacturer, but!!

If you are using that room for a Bird room, move them out, to play it safe.

If I was using potable heating, I would consider those oil filled, electric radiators that can be placed near anywhere. Or, Ceramic incased, closed coil electric heater, commonly seen offices for under desk heating.

Very sorry for your loss, dear friend.

Oh, crud. Every room in the house has these heaters. I can turn the thermostat off and use a bird safe space heater instead? I’m not sure how to determine if it’s a closed coil ceramic.

When I called the vet (I’m certain they are very tired of me this week) they said that the wall heater should be safe - but then I have no idea what the basis of that assertion is. The manufacturer only stated there was not any Teflon/PTFE, not that it wasn’t coated, mostly because I didn’t know to ask.

 

[SailBoat]

Let's look at this differently. Your Apartment /Home uses multiple wall mounted heating units, which are electrically connected within the walls and are likely controlled by a wall mounted thermostat. This very specific type of electric heater commonly use a different, heavier wire for their Coils and rarely use a coating. So, likely not a problem.

 

[ravvlet]

Ah, ok, yes that is the type of heater they are. Thanks.