How to Heat Your Home Safely

10/28/2019 (Permalink)

The cold weather months make us want to curl up by the fireplace to stay warm

Something about cold weather during the fall or winter months make us want to curl up by the fireplace. However, heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths. With a few simple safety tips and precautions from the National Fire Protection Association, you can prevent most heating fires from happening.

In order to be both warm and safe, the National Fire Protection Association recommends that you should do the following:

• 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 your 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.

•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.

• Test smoke alarms at least once a month

• Install and maintain CO alarms to avoid the risk of CO poisoning. If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call your local fire department or gas company.

If you’re home or business has experienced fire damage then call us, SERVPRO of Kernersville  at 336-379-1772. We are available 24/7 and 365 to assist you with cleaning up, salvaging and restoring your property.