Is Your Home Ready?

Before too long it will be time to crank up the thermostat to keep winter chill at bay.  It also means spending more time indoors thanks to less sunlight.  Combined, those two factors have the potential to increase risk of fire and other dangers in the home. 

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), nearly half of home heating equipment fires take place between December and February.  A significant number of those, twenty-nine percent, are attributed to electric space heaters and heating stoves.  There is also a silent, but deadly risk – carbon monoxide poisoning. Heating and cooking appliances burning fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide deaths.

NFPA offers tips to help keep you safe during winter’s icy grip.

 Heating safety:

• Make sure all heating equipment is in good working order. Heating systems and chimneys should be cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from all heating equipment, including furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters.
• Always use the right kind of fuel, as specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
• Make sure space heaters are in good working order and used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
• Turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to sleep.

 Cooking safety:

• Keep a close eye on what you're cooking.  Never leave cooking food unattended. For foods with longer cook times, such as those simmering or baking, set a timer to help monitor them carefully.
• Clear the cooking area of combustible items, keeping anything that can burn - such as dish towels, oven mitts, food packaging, and paper towels - at least three feet away from cooking equipment.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
• Keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
• Create a "kid and pet free zone" of at least three feet around the cooking area and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

Electrical safety:

• Only use one heat-producing appliance (such as a coffeemaker, toaster, space heater, etc.) plugged into a receptacle outlet at a time.
• Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets.
• Extension cords are intended for temporary use. Have a qualified electrician add more receptacle outlets so you don't have to use extension cords.
• Call a qualified electrician or your landlord if you have frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers; a tingling feeling when you touch an electrical appliance; a discolored or warm wall outlet; a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance; flickering or dimming lights; or sparks from an outlet.

Carbon monoxide safety:

• Choose a CO alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for placement and mounting height.
• CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home. This way when one sounds, they all sound.
• Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. Low batteries or a malfunctioning detector often makes a chirping sound.  If it still sounds after replacing the batteries, call the fire department.
• If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call 911 from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel arrive.
• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
• During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
• A generator should be used in a well-ventilated location outdoors away from windows, doors, and vent openings.

Smoke alarms, which reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half (60 percent), must be installed in all required locations and working properly. Home escape planning is another essential element of home fire safety, as people may have as little as two minutes to escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Knowing what to do when the smoke alarm sounds and using that time wisely can save your life.

Epping Fire Department is ready to help.  Our Fire Prevention Officer can provide a safety evaluation of your home.  You can call (603) 679-5446 and schedule an appointment.  The NFPA website is another source of home heating safety tips, information, and resources.