There is something about the winter months and curling up with a good book by the fireplace. But did you know that heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths? With a few simple safety tips and precautions you can prevent most heating fires from happening.

Be warm and safe this winter!

  • Keep anything that can burn at least three-feet (one metre) away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
  • Have a three-foot (one metre) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
  • Never use your oven to heat your home.
  • Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
  • Remember to 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.
  • 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.
  • Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
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Fact

Half of home heating fires are reported during the months of December, January, and February.

Heating Equipment Smarts

Install wood burning stoves following manufacturer’s instructions or have a professional do the installation. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

Install and maintain CO alarms to avoid the risk of CO poisoning. If you smell gas in your gas heater, do do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call your local fire department or gas company.

When the weather turns cold, it can bring a chill into our homes. Portable space heaters have become a popular way to supplement central heating or heat one room. If you plan to use portable electric space heaters, make sure to follow these tips and recommendations:

  • Purchase a heater with the seal of an independent testing laboratory.
  • Keep the heater at least 3 feet (1 metre) away from anything that can burn, including people.
  • Choose a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection.
  • Place the heater on a solid, flat surface.
  • Make sure your heater has an auto shut-off to turn the heater off if it tips over.
  • Keep space heaters out of the way of foot traffic. Never block an exit.
  • Keep children away from the space heater.
  • Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet. Never use an extension cord.
  • Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to bed.

Nearly half of all space heater fires involve electric space heaters.

Types of electric space heaters

Oil or water-filled radiator
Heated oil or water travels through the heater.

Fan-forced heater
A fan blows warm air over metal coils.

Ceramic heater
Air is warmed over a ceramic heating element.

Infrared heaters
Heat is created by infrared bulbs.

There is nothing like sitting by an open fire on a cold night. Indoor and outdoor portable ethanol burning fireplaces have become more popular in recent years. While these products provide ambiance and a little warmth, keep in mind the fuel, device and open flame can be dangerous.

Fireplace Safety

  • A portable ethanol burning fireplace, and the fuel, should only be used by adults.
  • Clean up any fuel spillage and be sure all liquid has evaporated before lighting the fireplace.
  • Light the fireplace using a utility lighter or long match.
  • An adult should always be present when a portable fireplace is burning.
  • Place the fireplace on a sturdy surface away from table edges.
  • It’s a good idea to crack a window open for a fresh supply of air.
  • Never try to move a lit fireplace or one that is still hot.
  • Don’t pour ethanol fuel in a device that is lit or not completely cool. It may result in a fire or injury.
  • Allow the device to cool down for at least 15 minutes before refueling.
  • Extinguish the flame when you leave the room, home or go to sleep.

General Fire Safety

  • Keep anything that can burn, children and pets at least 3 feet from the fireplace.
  • Store lighters and matches out of the reach of children, in a locked cabinet.

Ethanol is a plant-based product that does not release new carbon monoxide into the air.

Ethanol Fuel Smarts

Store ethanol fuel in a closed container, away from the fireplace and out of the reach of children.

It may not be easy to see the ethanol fuel flame. Always close the lid or use a snuffer to be sure the flame is extinguished before refueling into a cooled fireplace.

Use only fuel made specifically for the fireplace.

As the temperature drops outside, wood and pellet stoves may be fired up inside the home. What you may not realize is that heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months.

  • Have a QUALIFIED professional install stoves, chimney connectors, and chimneys.
  • Stoves should be listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
  • In wood stoves, burn only DRY, seasoned wood. In pellet stoves, burn only dry, seasoned wood pellets.
  • Have your chimney and stove INSPECTED and cleaned by a certified chimney sweep every fall just before heating season.
  • CLEAN the inside of your stove periodically using a wire brush.
  • Allow ashes to COOL before disposing of them. Place ashes in a covered metal container. Keep the container at least 10 feet away from the home and other buildings.
  • Keep a CLOSE EYE on children whenever a wood or pellet stove is being used. Remind them to stay at least 3 feet away from the stove.
  • Stoves need SPACE. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from the stove.
  • INSTALL and maintain carbon monoxide alarms (CO) outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. For the best protection, interconnect the CO alarms. When one sounds, they all sound.

Smoke Alarm Sense

Install and maintain smoke alarms on EVERY level of your home, outside each separate sleeping area and inside each bedroom. For the best protection, interconnect the alarms. When one sounds, they all sound. TEST all smoke alarms at least monthly.