Home Heating Safety Tips

All of us at Handyman Connection of Boise love a roaring fire on a cold night, but please be safe when you keep the home fires burning! According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2014, 14% of all reported home fires were caused by home heating accidents. Half of all home fires that occur during the months of December, January and February are caused by home heating equipment. Here are some tips to keep your home and family safe and warm this winter:

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly.

The experts at Handyman Connection of Boise can install new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home this winter. Don’t go through another season putting yourself or your family at risk. Call us today for a free, no-obligation project estimate!