Fireplace and Space Heater Safety

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

With the temperatures dropping as we winter progresses, it is nice to sit back and relax and take off the chill by warming up next to your fireplace or space heater. It also can be very dangerous if you do not take the appropriate precautions. Here are some helpful tips to enjoy your cozy fire or warm space heater but still keeping safe.

Space Heaters:

• NEVER leave a space heater running without supervision. The plug can overheat and start a fire if it cannot handle the amount of energy it takes to run the heater. Better yet, you can even unplug your space heater when you do not have it running or are not home.
  
  
• Make sure your space heater is approved for indoor use. Most of the heaters that run on electric are safe to use indoors, but some heaters run on fuel and can produce carbon monoxide and should not be used indoors.
  
  
• NEVER use a space heater as a dryer. It can be tempting to warm socks or a blanket over the warm blowing air, but this is extremely dangerous as the materials can easily start a fire.

Fireplaces:

• Test Smoke detectors at least once a month.
  
  
• NEVER leave a fire unattended. Even though it seems to be a controlled fire, you can’t control a spark from flying out of the fire and onto a surface or a blanket in your home.
  
  
• Clean your chimney at least once a year and have it inspected by a trained professional.

Contact our fire cleanup trained professionals at SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/South Washington Counties (518)677-3444 with our 24 hour emergency services, we are always here to help!