Take the "Burn" Out of Home Heating

The National Fire Protection Association stated in their report in the year 2005 that that around an approximate 62,000 residential fires, 670 civilian deaths, 1,550 civilian injuries and $909 million in direct property damage were caused due to the use of heating equipment.

The involvement of fixed or moveable space heaters in 2005 were known to be the cause of 73% home heating fire casualties, 64 % injuries and 57 % direct assets damage.

36 % cases of home heating fires alone were a result of using chimneys and chimney connectors.

With the mild temperature round the corner the last few days, the heating season is right away. The "breaking news" this morning itself reported two new cases of fire in our neighbourhood. I recommend the following safety measures to be taken to help you protect yourself form a fire outbreak in your home.

If you have not been using your gas or electric furnaces for quite sometime a residue of dirt and dust will be built up on their heating elements. When you activate the same for the required time of year, a burning odour along with a light haze of white smoke may emanate. There is nothing to panic as it is a temporary situation and not detrimental and such occurrence will disappear with several uses. Operate the furnace on a warm day to be on the safe side and ensure that all windows are open for any scent to get away. In case your furnace starts to grumble and black smoke starts billowing out, respond quickly to the danger signals, quit the building immediately and dial 911 to call the emergency fire department.

Always ensure that the flue is open prior to using the fireplace for the first time in the season. Flue refers to the trap door which keeps away the heat in summertime and cool air from entering while the fireplace is lying idle. You could look up the chimney to see whether you can see daylight and therefore ensure that the flue is in proper position. If you find any obstacle, have them removed or else the invisible carbon monoxide, a noxious, odourless gas that is supposed to exit from the duct will in turn enter the house. Use artificial logs made from wax and sawdust one by one.

Pressure-treated wood which is known to include poisonous compounds should be avoided in stoves or fireplaces as they can make you sick. Always remember to never leave your fireplace unguarded. Have an annual clean up and inspection done on your chimneys and vents and if necessary, get it done by a professional chimney sweep. When you burn wood in stoves and fireplaces you inevitably land up with the product known as creosote which naturally builds up in connectors and chimney ducts often resulting in a chimney fire. Do not burn substances like newspapers or other waste materials in a fireplace since they generate too much heat, enough to set a chimney fire.

Safety Tips:

Space heaters require legroom. Portable space heaters need at least a three-foot (one metre) clearance from everything that is inflammable and should definitely be switched off before leaving the room or going to bed.

Be cautious to look for the approval mark of an independent testing lab before you purchase a new element. Have a qualified technician to install the unit and thoroughly check the same before you start to operate it.

Get an annual inspection and cleaning done positively by a professional for your wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, chimney connectors and all such related solid fuelled heating gadgets.

If you are using portable kerosene heaters, always fuel them in when they are cooled absolutely and in properly ventilated areas that are free of flame and other heat sources. Never risk using gasoline in place of kerosene and use only the type of kerosene that has been particularly mentioned by the manufacturer. Ensure that the law of your state allows you to use portable kerosene heaters.

Always follow the producer's manual before turning the heating device on or off. Lookout for automatic shutoff features before you buy heaters.

Pay proper attention to ventilation while installing any gas-fuelled heating equipment. Never install gas space heaters in bedrooms or bathrooms if you cannot arrange for its proper ventilation. According to NFPA norms, LP (liquefied petroleum) gas heaters with independent fuel supplies are absolutely forbidden for use in residences.

In order to get more information about heating devices we invite you to visit our page about the Heated Towel Rail as well as our review of the Heated Rollers.