Heating | OSFM

Did You Know...

In terms of equipment, space heaters (both portable and stationary) are responsible for most deaths, accounting for about 73% to 81% of all home heating fire fatalities.
Failure to clean equipment, specifically creosote build-up in chimneys, is the leading cause of "confined" heating fires (fires that stay within the chimney or flue).
Over half (54%) of home heating fire deaths result from heating equipment being placed too close to objects that can burn, such as furniture, clothing, or bedding.
Nearly half (46%) of all home heating fires occur during the three-month winter peak of December, January, and February.

Keep anything that can burn, including furniture, curtains, bedding, and rugs, at least three feet away from all heating equipment, such as furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters.
Have a three-foot, kid-free zone around open fires and space heaters.
Never use your oven to heat your home. Ovens and stoves are not designed 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.
Make sure fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
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.
When refueling kerosene heaters, be sure to move them outside to refill.
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 and Carbon Monoxide at least once a month.

January 28, 2019