I know fire safety prevention tips aren't exactly leisurely reading, but still, they are very important since the cold weather has landed in Houston for a visit. Then it will get warm, then cold, then warm, then cold...yep, that's Houston weather. Remember, dress in layers.
The Houston Fire Department recommends the following safety tips when using supplemental heating sources:
Citizens should always keep in mind that: Space Heaters Need Space.
- Make sure you have a working smoke alarm.
- Never leave children unattended in a room with a space heater - Children knock over space heaters especially if they are placed on top of wobbly tables or stools and near where the children play. Children may also stick paper or toys in the grates of the space heaters especially gas space heaters.
- Keep all combustible materials, including yourself at least 3 feet from the heater
- Open face heaters should have a screen
- Provide ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
- Vented Gas / Fired Heating Appliances Tips - Central heating units, floor furnaces, recessed wall heaters, and vented space heaters.
- Inspect annually by a qualified service technician. Don't wait for cold weather!
Do not use these type units without a proper vent pipe. Vent pipes must exhaust to the outside!
- If your flame is not blue, it is not burning properly. It is producing Carbon Monoxide, which can't be seen, smelled or tasted. Turn it off.
- Use flexible metal tubing with threaded ends to connect the heater to the gas valve. There should be a cutoff valve for the heater at the wall. Never use a rubber hose to connect a space heater to the gas valve!
- Use soapy water to check all connections and valves for leaks. NEVER use a match to test for a gas leak!
- Look for the American Gas Association label and follow the manufacturer's recommendations for proper usage.
Electric Heaters Tips
- Never overload outlets or breakers
- Don't use extension cords for the heater. If the cord is hot to the touch, turn off the heater and unplug it!
- Electric heaters permanently installed in the wall or ceiling should have lint and dust removed regularly. Lint and dust will burn!
- Fireplace safety from the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA)
- According to the NFPA While fireplaces often conjure up images of warmth and comfort, they also represent a source of home heating fires. Creosote - a sticky, oily, combustible substance created when wood does not burn completely - rises into the chimney as a liquid and deposits on the chimney walls, and plays a role in nearly one-fourth (23%) of all home heating fires each year.
Just like a space heater, keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from a fireplace, and create a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires.
Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room
Never leave a fireplace fire unattended, particularly when children are present.
Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container, and kept at a safe distance from your home.
Hey, since you are still here, the ESFI has some more great tips:
Fire Safety
- Test smoke alarms monthly and make sure that your house is protected by an adequate number of working alarms.
- Smoke alarms should be located inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of your home.
- Share your fire escape plan with your overnight guests. Everyone should know at least two ways out of each room in your home.
- Keep halls, stairs, and doorways free of clutter.
- Make sure stairs, halls, and entries are properly illuminated. Use nightlights in hallways and bathrooms.
- Consider having older guests or those with mobility issues sleep on the ground floor.
Heating Safety
- Have your heating system inspected annually by a licensed, qualified professional.
Keep space heaters out of high-traffic and exit areas, and at least three feet from anything that can burn.
- Do not leave a space heater running unattended. Turn off and unplug when you leave the room or go to sleep.
- Never leave an open flame, including the fireplace, unattended.
Child Safety
- Put small items that could pose a choking hazard, like buttons, coins, and jewelry, away if you are hosting young children.
- Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairways.
- Move all cleaning products and other dangerous items out of reach of children and store them in a locked area.
- Consider turning your water heater temperature down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce the risk of scalding.
- In homes with young children, install tamper resistant receptacles (TRRs) to prevent electrical shocks and burns, or use safety covers on all unused outlets that are accessible to children.
- Never allow children to play with electrical decorations or cords.
Electrical Safety
- Test ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) to ensure that they are working properly.
- Outdoor outlets should be protected with GFCI technology to reduce the risk of electric shock.
- Do not overload outlets with too many devices or appliances.
- Do not use extension cords on a permanent basis, and never use them with major appliances.
- Look and listen for warning signs of an electrical problem such as outlets and switches that are warm or make crackling, sizzling or buzzing noises.
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