If I had just taken a few minutes to look it over before plugging in the space heater for the first time, I could have avoided this entire ordeal altogether
Instructional booklets aren’t helpful for only directions, but also for danger warnings pertinent to whatever device you’re holding. People joke that they “never read the instructions,” but that could result in a particularly dangerous situation. I made this terrible mistake when I bought a powerful space heater two years ago. I live in the south and hate to use a central furnace when the weather rarely demands it. The lowest temperatures we get are in the high 30s, but days that cold are few and far between. Even so, it can feel cold in the house when it’s as high as 60 degrees outdoors, so that’s why I like to use space heaters when I need them. I found a great ceramic heater that advertised its ability to handle spaces of 400 square feet or more. I started using it without looking at the instruction manual, missing the huge warning notice that urges users to never plug the device into a surge strip, especially with other electronics or appliances plugged at the same time. Thankfully I was in the same room while it was running, because the surge strip melted and nearly caught the wall of my bedroom on fire in the process. I felt like such an idiot when I got the instruction manual out and found the warning on the second page. If I had just taken a few minutes to look it over before plugging in the space heater for the first time, I could have avoided this entire ordeal altogether. At the same time, I’m thankful I was nearby when the plug started to smoke. In the end, it could have been worse.