The leading cause of home fire deaths is caused by heating equipment and half of the home heating equipment fires are reported during December, January, and February. Keep your family and pets safe with these helpful tips:
- Anything that can burn should be at least three feet away from heating equipment (furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater).
- Have a 3-ft “no-kid zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
- Have a qualified professional install water heaters and central air and heating equipment to ensure they are done 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.
- Be sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room and make sure ashes are cool before putting them in a metal container. Store the container a safe distance away from your home.
