10 Heating Fire Safety Tips

Winter brings colder days and the need for extra warmth at home. Before you plug in a heater or light your fireplace, it's important to know that heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires and home-fire deaths, with nearly half of home heating fires reported during the three-month period from December to February.* The good news: most heating-related fires are preventable with simple safety habits.

10 Tips for Heating Your Home Safely This Winter:

1. Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors play a critical role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. Remember to test smoke alarms at least once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year.
2. Keep flammable materials at least three feet from heating equipment. Keep items such as bedding, clothing and curtains away from fireplaces and portable heaters.
3. Plug heating equipment directly into wall outlets. Never use an extension cord or power strip for heating equipment or other major appliances. Do not plug anything else into the same circuit used for heating equipment, as this can overload the circuit.
4. Inspect heating equipment for damaged cords and plugs. Replace damaged cords right away. Do not try to repair a cord yourself.
5. Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. Failure to clean and maintain heating equipment is a leading factor contributing to home heating fires.
6. Put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave your home. To put out the fire, use a fireplace poker to spread out the embers, put ash over the embers to smother the fire, apply a thin layer of baking soda over the fire, and then let the ashes cool off.
7. Use a sturdy screen in front of your fireplace to stop sparks from flying into the room. This will also help prevent young children and pets from getting near the fire, or from getting in the fireplace when it's not being used.
8. Turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed. Unplug the heater from the outlet when it's not in use.
9. Place space heaters on a solid, flat surface. Space heaters are intended to sit on the floor, not on a table.
10. Never use space heaters as supplemental dryers. Don't drape socks, towels or other items of clothing anywhere near the heater.