Prevent Home Heating

 Fires This Winter

Home heating fires are among the most common of all residential fires. Like other fires in the home, they often start because of human error or carelessness, and they frequently occur at night when the family is sleeping.

The Newtown Fire Marshal’s office, in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire, Emergency, and Building Services, has issued the following recommendations to reduce the risk of home heating fires:

Before purchasing a home heating system, be certain that the equipment is listed by an independent, recognized testing laboratory. Have installation and maintenance checked by a local building and fire official.

Manufacturer’s instructions for installation, venting, maintenance, and repair should be carefully followed.

Proper maintenance, cleaning, and inspection of furnaces, space heaters, wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and chimney connections needs to be done on an annual basis by qualified specialists. This should be scheduled prior to the heating season.

Space heaters should be placed at least three feet from combustibles, such as blankets, curtains and drapes, papers, toys, upholstered furniture, and other items found in a home. Portable heaters should not be placed where small children or pets may fall against them.

Extension cords should not be used with electric heaters.

Hot ashes should not be allowed to remain overnight in a fireplace or woodstove with a closed damper. Excess ash building should be prevented in woodstoves and fireplaces where it can prevent good circulation of air needed for combustion. Ashes should be removed in a metal container with a tight-fitting cover. Hot, or even warm, ashes should be moved to an outside location to cool.

Charcoal or propane gas grills designed for outdoor cooking should never be used to heat a home, nor should they be used indoors for any purpose.

Working smoke detectors in the home, particularly near bedrooms, will give you a 50 percent better chance of escaping from a fire. Check the batteries each month.