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Heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires during the months of
December, January and February, and trails only cooking equipment in home
fires year-round.
Facts & Figures:
In 1998, there were 49,200 heating equipment-related home fires reported to
U.S. fire departments, resulting in 388 deaths, 1,445 injuries and $515 million in
property damage.
Two of every three home heating fires in the U.S. in 1998, and three of every
four related deaths, were attributed to space heating equipment.
All types of common space heating equipment are involved in home fires:
portable electric heaters, portable kerosene heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces
with inserts and room gas heaters.
Common causes of space heating home fires are: lack of regular cleaning,
leading to creosote build-up, in wood-burning devices and associated chimneys
and connectors; failing to give space heaters space, by installing or placing
them too close to combustibles; basic flaws in the construction or design of wood
burning heating equipment; and fueling errors involving liquid- or gas-fueled
heating equipment.
(*From NFPA's U.S. Home Heating Fire Patterns and Trends)
Safety Tips:
Space heaters need space. Portable space heaters need a three-foot (one
meter) clearance from anything that can burn and should always be turned off
when leaving the room or going to sleep.
When buying a new unit, make sure it carries the mark of an independent
testing lab. Be sure that a qualified technician installs the unit or checks that the
unit has been installed properly.
Wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, chimney connectors, and all other
solid-fueled heating equipment need to be inspected annually by a professional
and cleaned as often as the inspections indicate.
Use a sturdy fireplace screen to keep sparks from flying into the room.
Portable kerosene heaters must be fueled only in a well-ventilated area, free of
flame and other heat sources, and only when the device has cooled completely.
Use only the type of kerosene specified by the manufacturer for that device, and
never use gasoline instead of kerosene. Also, be sure that portable kerosene
heaters are legal for home use in your state.
When turning a heating device on or off, be careful to follow the manufacturer's
instructions. When buying heaters, look for devices with automatic shutoff
features.
Be sure any gas-fueled heating device is installed with proper attention to
ventilation, and never put unvented gas space heaters in bedrooms or
bathrooms. Also, LP (liquefied petroleum) gas heaters with self-contained fuel
supplies are prohibited for home use by NFPA codes.
| EMPIRE HOOK AND LADDER FIRE CO. 76 N FRANKLIN ST. POTTSTOWN PA, 19464 610.326.2212 EMERGENCY'S DIAL 911 EMAIL WEBMASTER |
| HOME HEATING |