• Dangers of Cadet Heaterspropane heater image by FXTW from Fotolia.com
  
  Between 1978 and 1997, Cadet Manufacturing Company produced many different heating units under the names Cadet and Encore. Some of these models released during these times were defective for multiple reasons. The United States government required Cadet to do a massive recall in 1999 of all the defective heaters, but some may still be around. If you or someone you know has a Cadet, there are many potential issues.
  
  

Flames and Sparks

• Certain models of Cadet heaters, including the FW, the FX, the LX, the TK and the ZA series as well as parallel heaters in the Encore brand, have a major malfunction. Due to a design flaw, their heaters tend to overheat and catch fire or allow dirt, debris or lint into the heaters where they catch fire. These heaters may also spew flames and eject sparks into a home. These sparks can cause the heater to emit an electric shock as well. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), these flaws have led to three reported deaths and two burn injuries.
  
  

Molten Metal

• The Cadet heaters in the first generation Z series or the identical model in the Encore series have another major design flaw. The heating element can overheat, spew molten metal particles and explode in the living space of a home. There have been 27 reported incidents of Z series heaters malfunctioning in this or a similar way according to the CPSC report.
  
  

Precautions

• The following remedies have been taken to later model Cadet heaters to avoid future problems. Due to the heater's high temperature and risk of fire, all flammable materials, such as magazines and newspapers, must be kept at least three feet away from the unit. The heater should be cleaned regularly every six months. If the temperature reset button does not work, the heater must be replaced.