Heating Safety Tips
When looking to remain warm on cold days, please follow these heating safety tips to ensure you and your loved ones remain safe.
- Keep a 3-foot (1 meter) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Supervise children whenever a wood or oil stove or other space heater is being used. Use a sturdy metal screen to prevent contact burns, which are more common than flame burns.
- All heaters need space. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from heating equipment.
- Use heating equipment that is listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
- Never use your oven or stove for heating. Ovens and stoves are not designed to heat your home.
- Install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters, or central heating equipment according to local codes and the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Ensure that a qualified professional installs heating equipment.
- Make sure fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Carbon monoxide is created when fuels burn incompletely. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause illness and even death. Make sure the venting for exhaust is kept clear and unobstructed. This includes removal of snow and ice and other debris around the outlet to the outside.
- Choose a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm that is listed by a qualified testing laboratory. Install and maintain CO alarms inside your home to provide early warning of carbon monoxide.
- Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.
