There is something about the 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.
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.
Install and maintain CO alarms to avoid the riskof 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.
Be warm and safe this winter!
• 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.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
.
Source : NATIONAL FIRE
PROTECTION ASSOCIATION