Keeping your property safe & warm during winter storms

11/19/2019 (Permalink)

Fire caused by a space heater

Winter weather season has arrived earlier than we expected, To keep our homes and workplaces toasty, many people use alternative heat sources like fireplaces, portable space heaters and wood burning stoves.  Did you know, heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths?  According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment fires cause and estimated $1 billion in property damage annually.  Keep the following safety tips in mind to help reduce your risk of heating-related fire.

• 50% of all residential heating-related fires are reported during the months of December, January, and February.

• Keep anything flammable at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove or a portable space heater. Also, have a three foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Test your smoke alarms monthly to ensure that they are working properly and that the batteries don’t need to be replaced. Also, smoke alarms, themselves, should be replaced every ten years.

• 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 or other combustible items.
• Remember to always 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.
• Have chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• 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 your property suffers a fire damage, contact your local Dubuque SERVPRO Professionals to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

*Statistics and tips provided by the National Fire Prevention Association.