Heating Safety is the topic of today’s Fire Prevention Week tip from the Crookston Fire Department. According to firefighter Kent Ellingson, half of home heating fires occur during three months from December through February. “Half of home heating fires are reported during December, January, and February,” said Ellingson. “With a few simple safety tips and precautions, you can prevent most heating fires from happening. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment. Have a three-foot kid-free zone around open fires and space heaters. Never use your oven to heat your home. Have heating equipment and chimneys 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 into a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home. We should test smoke alarms at least once a month. Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms to avoid the risk of CO poisoning in the home.”
ADDITIONAL HEATING SAFETY TIPS
- 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.
- Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
- 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.
