As temperatures drop, you may start to rely on various heating equipment to keep you warm and comfortable in your home. Remember that improperly used or maintained heating equipment can be dangerous. In fact, heating is the second leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, and the third leading cause of home fire deaths.* The good news is that by following a few simple heating safety tips and precautions, you can prevent most heating fires from ever happening.

General Heating Safety Tips

• Keep flammable materials at least three feet from heating equipment. Keep items such as bedding, clothing, and curtains away from fireplaces and portable heaters.
• Establish "kid-free zones" around heating equipment. Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and portable heaters. Keep fireplace “on” switches and remote controls out of reach of children.
• Never use an oven to heat your home. Kitchen appliances are not designed to heat a home and can be dangerous for many reasons.
• 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 cause overheating.
• Inspect heating equipment for damaged cords and plugs. Replace damaged cords right away. Do not try to repair a cord yourself.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary heating equipment. This includes furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, wood stoves, and fireplaces.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. Failure to clean and maintain heating equipment is the leading factor contributing to home heating fires.**
  
• Install 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.

Fireplace & wood stove Safety Tips

• Do not burn paper in your fireplace or wood stove. Paper burns very quickly and can easily float up the chimney and ignite the creosote deposits in the flue.
• 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.
• Put ashes in a metal container. Once ashes have fully cooled, wrap them in aluminum foil or place them in a small metal container, such as a coffee can, and dispose of them in an outdoor trash can. Do not place them near anything that could catch fire.
• 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.

Space Heater Safety Tips

A space heater is a device used to heat a single, small to medium sized area. While convenient, they can be dangerous if not used properly. In fact, most home heating fire deaths involve stationary or portable space heaters.*

• Turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed. Unplug the heater from the outlet when it’s not in use.
• Place space heaters on a solid, flat surface. Space heaters are intended to sit on the floor, not on a table.
• Never use space heaters as supplemental dryers. Don't drape socks, towels or other items of clothing anywhere near the heater.
• Always use the right kind of fuel. If you have a fuel-burning space heater, only use the fuel type specified by the manufacturer.
• Make sure your heater has advanced features like automatic shut-off and tip-over protection.