Half of all home heating fires occur during the winter months, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Therefore, it is imperative to heat your home safely this winter season. FEMA shared some great tips to heating your home safely this winter:
- Have a professional inspect your furnace or wood stove each year.
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from all heating mechanisms.
- Put ashes from your fireplace in a metal container with a lid outside at least three feet from your home.
- Do not burn paper in your wood stove or fireplace.
- Do not go to sleep when a fire is burning in your wood stove or your fireplace.
- Do not go to sleep with a space heater on.
- Only use space heaters and kerosene heaters with an automatic shut off.
- Only use kerosene heaters and portable heaters from a recognized testing lab.
- Do not refuel your cooled kerosene heater unless you are outside.
- Use a glass or metal screen in front of your fireplace to prevent embers or sparks from jumping out.
- Only plug space heaters directly into outlets.
