Cold weather brings out the space heaters and heat lamps in many animal housing locations. Karen Kopf shares safety measures for barns that also apply to coops, kennels and other animal enclosures. She says permanent use of extension cords is not advised for safety reasons.
Source: Backyard Goats, November 27, 2022. Link. Cords usually fail in one of these ways:
- continued use, not allowing heat to dissipate, so the insulation melts
- mechanical damage to the insulation, such as piercing, scraping, or cutting, exposing the wire
- moisture, dirt, or corrosion on the contact points, increasing the resistance and heat in that area
- never exceed the amp rating of the cord . . . Watts and amps are not equivalent.