.png)
Between the additional time spent indoors, an uptick in baking and cooking, and, of course, the need to stay warm, it’s no wonder that more home fires occur during the winter months than any other time of year. And given that the second leading cause of residential fires is home heating equipment, it’s important to know how to maintain comfortable indoor conditions while keeping your family not just warm, but safe.
Follow these safety tips to reduce your risk of a house fire.
Make sure you have operating smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. Install a smoke detector in or near every bedroom or sleeping area and test the alarms monthly to ensure proper operation.
Keep all flammable items at least three feet away from any heat source. This includes fireplaces, wood burning or pellet stoves, radiators, and portable space heaters.
Never use your oven to heat your home.
If you must rely on a space heater for additional warmth, chose an electric model that meets current safety standards. Turn it off when leaving the room or going to bed. And remember – never leave pets or small children alone in a room with a space heater.
Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional chimney sweep before the heating season. Otherwise, creosote can build up inside chimney walls and eventually start a fire.
Have your heating system inspected once a year by a licensed HVAC technician. Preventive maintenance not only will help your system run longer and more efficiently, it can uncover problems that, left undetected, could result in costly repairs, premature system failure, or worse – a fire hazard.
One way we can prevent your heating system from igniting a fire is by tightening all electrical connections. We also check the system’s heat exchanger for signs of a carbon monoxide leak. There are more safety components to preventive maintenance by GBT Heating & Cooling, which is why we invite you to contact us today to schedule service.