It's that time of the year again when people switch their homes
from air conditioning to heat. But officials warn that doing so can raise the
risk of a fire.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly
half of all home heating fires happen during the winter months. Research shows
heating equipment is responsible for tens of thousands of house fires and
hundreds of deaths. Firefighters say cooking is number one cause of fires in
the home.
The good news is those fires are preventable, by simply taking a
few extra steps to make sure everything works correctly. Fire officials say you
can never be too cautious.
Here are a few other tips to keep your home safe:
• Have your chimney inspected each year and cleaned if
necessary.
• Use a sturdy fireplace screen.
• Allow ashes to cool before disposing. Dispose of ashes in a metal container.
• Space heaters need space. Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away from heating equipment.
• Turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
• Plug power cord only into outlets with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.
• Inspect for cracked or broken plugs or loose connections. Replace before using.
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home so that when one sounds, they all sound. Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
• Install and maintain a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area.
• Never use an oven to heat your home.
• Have your HVAC units and systems inspected by a qualified professional.
• Change your furnace filters regularly.
• Use a sturdy fireplace screen.
• Allow ashes to cool before disposing. Dispose of ashes in a metal container.
• Space heaters need space. Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away from heating equipment.
• Turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
• Plug power cord only into outlets with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.
• Inspect for cracked or broken plugs or loose connections. Replace before using.
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home so that when one sounds, they all sound. Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
• Install and maintain a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area.
• Never use an oven to heat your home.
• Have your HVAC units and systems inspected by a qualified professional.
• Change your furnace filters regularly.
