Did you know that half of home heating fires occur during the winter months, when systems are working overtime to heat the home? Use these safety tips to keep your heating system running safely, avoid any potential fires or other home damage:*
- Plug only 1 heat producing appliance (such as a space heater or portable radiator) into one electrical outlet at a time.
- Remember to always turn portable heaters off when leaving any room or before going to bed.
- Always use the correct fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
- Test your smoke alarms monthly.
- Make sure you have carbon monoxide (CO) alarms installed in your home to avoid the risk of CO poisoning and test them monthly.
- If you smell gas in your home or coming from your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave your home immediately and call your local fire department or gas company.
- Never leave candles burning unattended.
- Make sure that your fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks flying into the room.
- Fire ashes should always be cool before putting them into any covered, metal container.
- Never put ashes into a plastic container.
- Keep fireplace ashes containers a safe distance away from your home.
- Stay safe by using these home heating safety tips and remember, as your local home service experts, we can take care of all your comfort needs.
- Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
- Install wood burning stoves following manufacturer’s instructions or have a professional do the installation. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
- Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
- Keep portable generators away from windows and use them as far away from the house as possible.
- Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment, like your furnace, fireplace or portable space heater.
- Have a 3-foot designated “Kid Free Zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
*Source: nfpa.org