The Heat is On! Staying Warm with Heating Safety

1/16/2024 (Permalink)

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the leading cause of home fire deaths is from equipment used to heat your home during the cold winter months. Continue reading to make sure that you’re taking the proper safety steps to make sure that you’re using heating equipment in a responsible way.

Portable Heaters – You should never leave any sort of space heaters, electric blankets, or any other portable heaters unattended. It’s possible for these items to short out and start fires.

Chimney Inspection – It’s very important to have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually. This makes sure that they are structurally sound, as well as getting rid of any blockages that may prevent the chimney from properly venting smoke from your home.

Three Foot Rule – For anything in your home that is used to generate heat (fireplace, woods stove, furnace, space heater) you should ensure that there is at least three feet of space between that and any flammable items in your household.

Smoke Alarms – Check your smoke alarms regularly. Smoke alarms should be checked every month to ensure proper function, as well as making sure that the batteries do not need to be changed.

When it’s cold outside there’s nothing like curling up in a nice warm house and keeping cozy. Just be sure to enjoy the warmth by following proper safety rules to ensure your winter plans go off without a hitch!