The Importance of Fire Safety

2/21/2022 (Permalink)

Make sure to keep fire safety in mind when heating your home or business!

It seems we're not done yet with the Winter weather. Later this week, another country-wide cold snap is expected to bring deep freezing temperatures. In an effort to keep our homes and workplaces cozy, many people use alternative heat sources like fire places, portable space heaters, and wood burning stoves. Did you know, heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths? According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment fires cause estimated $1 billion in direct property damage annually. Keep the following safety tips in mind to help reduce your risk of a heating-related fire. 

• Keep anything flammable at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or a portable space heater.
• Have a three foot "kid-free zone" around open fires and 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.
• 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.

30% of all reported fires are residential home fires, and a majority of those are reported in the months of December, January, and February.

• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturers instructions.
• Make sure to test smoke alarms monthly.

If your property suffers from fire damage, don't hesitate to contact SERVPRO of Kaufman County/Cedar Creek. We'll be there to make it "Like it never even happened."