Heaters
Safety Tips For Heaters
Many residential fires across the country are started
by things designed to keep us warm. When used improperly fireplaces,
wood burning stoves, space heaters, kerosene lamps, and candles pose a
threat to safety.
The safety tips below should reduce the threat
of a fire and help you avoid a dangerous situation.
- Keep at least 3 feet of space between a heat source or open flame and anything flammable, curtains, furniture, paper and walls.
- Have a fire extinguisher or bucket of water near your fireplace.
- Don’t store matches, kindling, and extra wood near the fireplace.
- Use a fireplace screen in front of fireplace and keep doors on wood stoves closed.
- Let fireplace ashes cool before disposing of them. Use a metal container with a tight fitting lid to dispose of ashes. Remove container from house, don’t store container on a wooden porch or deck or near flammable material. Never dispose of ashes in a plastic container or paper bag
- Have your furnace inspected and serviced at least once a year and replace filters often.
- Have your fireplace and chimney inspected once a year and your chimney cleaned every year.
- Watch for frayed or hot wires on space heaters. Don’t use heaters with loose, damaged or frayed wires or defeat the ground wire, if present. Don’t overload the electric circuit.
- Don’t let children near heaters or fireplaces.
- When using a liquid fuel heater, let heater cool down before adding more fuel.
- When using portable heaters or generators, be sure the unit has adequate ventilation.
- Never use a heater designed for outdoor use or a grill or BBQ indoors.
- Never use gasoline as a fuel for heaters.
- Never substitute another fuel for the
recommended fuel or use a low-grade fuel in heaters.