Winter heating hazards

2/7/2017 (Permalink)

Did you know heating equipment is the leading cause of home fire deaths and that 50% of all residential heat related fires are during the months of December, January, and February and causes $1 billion dollars worth of property damage.  

Here are some tips in reducing your risk of a heating-related fire: 

1. Keep anything flammable atleast 3 feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fire place, wood stove, or portable space heater. Also have a 3 feet "kids free zone around open fires and space heaters.

2. Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room.

3. Make sure ashes are cool before putting them in a metal container - keep the container a safe distance away from the house.

4. Rember to turn portable heaters off when leaving thr room or going to bed.

5. Always use the right kind of fuel specified by the manufacturer for fuel burning space heaters.

6. Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.

7. Have qualified professionals install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters, or central heaating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturers instructions.

8. Test smoke alarms monthly.