Protect yourself from home heating fires

Protect yourself from home heating fires

Cold weather arrived early this year, which means many of us have already started using our furnaces or alternative heating sources to heat our homes. Home heating seems simple enough, but unfortunately, it's one of the main causes of home fires in the United States.

Motorists wants to ensure that you and your family stay safe and warm this winter season.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, home heating devices are the No. 1 cause of home fires from December through February. And, 40 percent of all U.S. home fire deaths from 2003 to 2006 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms. An estimated 3,000 deaths occur from these types of fires each year.

While smoke alarms are one of the most important forms of protection to have, there are many additional facts you need to know when heating your home; including how to deal with a fire emergency. Therefore, it is important to educate yourself and your family on home heating devices including alternative sources such as space heaters, fire places, wood stoves, etc.

Joy Whaley, member relations manager from the Institute for Business & Home Safety, says that "Wood pellet stoves, fireplaces and other alternative heating devices can be problematic if not properly installed, cleaned and maintained. Interior fires can ignite from creosote that builds up inside the devices. It is also critical to keep chimney flues open and properly operating. Failure to allow all the smoke to dissipate to the exterior can result in dangerous, and often deadly, carbon monoxide buildup."

Please visit http://www.disastersafety.org and http://www.nfpa.org to learn how you can stay warm, and safe, this winter season.

For additional publications, please visit the Ohio State Fire Marshal's Web site at http://www.com.ohio.gov/fire.

Additional PDF articles are available below for download.

Alternative heating sources (PDF)

Home fire safety checklist (PDF)