Now that we are in the middle of the winter months and half of the United States is experiencing abnormally cold temperatures I am sure you are wondering how you can keep warm. Home heating is one of the leading causes of residential fires. With the use of wood stoves and space heaters in conjunction with your home thermostat it is easy to see how staying warm can lead to some dangerous conditions in your home.
Here are a few tips to consider to stay warm and to stay safe in your home this winter season
- Inspect and maintain heating equipment regularly for safety.
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home. For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
- Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms to avoid risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- If using a space heater in your home be sure to turn it off when you are leaving the room or going to sleep.
- When using a stove or fireplace remember to keep the area around open to allow for proper ventilation and so that sparks can not fly out to catch loose papers or other items on fire.
