Even in the desert southwest, home heating is necessary this time of year. Yet, safety should always be a paramount focus while using furnaces, heat pumps, and space heaters. Why? Home heating-related fires account for nearly 50% of all home fires in the winter months. By implementing a few safety tips and precautions, you can prevent most home heating fires from happening while keeping you and your loved ones comfortably warm and safe this winter season.
Safety Tips
Did you know that approximately half of all home heating fire deaths were caused by having heating equipment too close to household items that can quickly burn, such as mattresses, bedding, clothing, upholstered furniture, and drapes? Even though there are several safety features built into home heating systems, accidents do happen. But by following these safety tips, you can dramatically lower the risk of them happening.
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
- Always have a qualified, licensed professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters, or central heating equipment according to local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
- Have chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
- Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room.
- Test smoke alarms and CO2 (carbon monoxide) detectors once a month.
- Check and replace any dirty HVAC air filters monthly.
- Don’t overload electrical extension sockets.
- Make certain there are working fire extinguishers on hand and know how to use them.
Space Heaters
Another fact to keep in mind during winter is that portable and stationary space heaters cause over 80% of home fire deaths, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Here are some important tips to keep in mind.
- Don’t leave a space heater on while you sleep.
- Never leave a space heater running in an empty room.
- Use a safety gate around any space heaters to keep children and pets safe.
- Make certain that your space heater has an auto shut off mechanism when it’s tipped over.
Call Cool Blew
By following these tips and precautions, along with having your HVAC system professionally inspected at least twice yearly, you’ll be safely prepared for the chilly months.
For additional questions, call Cool Blew, your locally owned experts in HVAC, at 623-872-2900.
