Stay Warm, But Be Safe

“Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.” That song may invoke warm, cozy images, but reality is a whole different picture. In America alone, approximately 3,400 people die each year due to home fires. Countless others are injured. A large amount of those fires happen during the winter months.

Fires in the home can be caused by any number of things. During the winter, the most common reasons are fireplaces, wood burning stoves and space heaters. These appliances are made to keep you warm and comfy, but if appropriate safety measures aren’t taken, they can cause much harm.

When it comes to fireplaces, there are more than a few things to think about before starting up your next fire. One of the most important - how clean and reliable your chimney is. The easiest safety measure is to have a professional chimney sweep come and inspect your chimney every year. They will not only clean out the chimney but they can also find and repair any cracks, blockages and leaks that could cause a problem.

Now your fireplace is safe to use, you should put into practice a few more sound safety measures. For example, you should NEVER burn anything in your fireplace but seasoned hardwood (oak, ash or maple). Numerous fires are brought about by people who burn charcoal, garbage, cardboard or even Christmas trees in their fireplace. That will not only increase the risk of an out of control fire, but it could also release dangerous toxins into the very air you are breathing.

Also, don’t forget an appropriate fireplace cover. Using a strong screen or a glass door will thwart those flaming embers from drifting out into your living area. Go one step further by eliminating any flammable items on or around your fireplace as well.

Wood stoves present some of the same hazard as fireplaces, but they also have their own safety challenges.

The installation of a wood stove needs a compromise between efficiency and safety. Even the experts differ on the best way to go. Regrettably, the most efficient stove is likely the most unsafe, and vice versa. It’s always best to have a skilled professional install your stove and inspect it on a regular basis.

An additional problem is the sizing of your stove. A stove that is too small for the area it’s heating may cause the user to build a fire that’s too hot. An over-heated firebox could ignite flammable surfaces that are outside the “safe perimeter” of the stove.

Then again, an oversized stove can be just as unsafe. Flammable creosote can build up rapidly in a chimney when using a damper to control the air supply. Should a fire start in your chimney, call the fire department right away.

Possibly the most dangerous heating appliance is the portable electric space heater. If you plan on using one, be extra careful.

First off, start by looking for a safety label. You should find one on the bottom of the heater that shows it had been inspected by the UL, ETL or CSA. If it doesn’t have a safety label, get a new heater!

Next, if you’re using an extension cord, make sure it’s rated for the same capacity as the heater. If it’s undersized, the cord itself could overheat and trigger a fire.

Make sure to place your space heater at least 3 feet from any flammable materials. Always be sure that there is an adult in the room whenever the unit is operating and always keep a close eye on children and pets.

Before leaving the room or going to sleep, always turn off space heaters. And never try to dry wet clothing or other objects on or near a portable heater.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be much more likely to have a safe and comfy winter.

Here are some other things you can do as well:

• Keep fire extinguishers in several locations around the house.
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in every bedroom in the house.Change the batteries once a year.
• Extinguish cigarette butts with water.
• Keep candles in stable, fire-proof candle holders.
• Have your central heating system inspected and tuned each year.