Be safe when using heating equipment in your home
There is something about the fall and winter months and curling up with a good book by the fireplace.
But did you know that heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths?
With a few simple safety tips and precautions you can prevent most heating fires from happening.
Be warm and safe during colder weather:
- keep anything that can burn at least three-feet (one metre) away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater;
- have a three-foot (one metre) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters;
- never use your oven to heat your home;
- have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions;
- have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional;
- remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed;
- always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters;
- make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home; and
- test smoke alarms at least once a month.
