The cold weather make us run to our heaters and crank them up. Most homeowners do not take proper care of their furnaces or regularly inspect it. This could lead to house fires or gas leaks.
In a report from Mobile Fire-Rescue Department, heating appliances are the second causes of house and building fires in the U.S. 83, 400 fires have been reported from heating appliances as a result 498 people died.(Read more here)That is why it is very important to take check and do regular maintenance on your heaters.
Wall heater safe tips:
- Do install your space, propane or gas heater near any combustible items. Make sure the wall heaters are installed 2 – 5 feet away from any combustible items.
- Follow the instruction manual for your wall heater to understand how to clean it.
- Check propane pipes and regulators for leaks
- Do not use extension cords to plug in your electrical wall heater. This might cause someone to trip over the heater wire. Always plug the heater directly into the socket.
- Do not overload the circuit if using electric wall heaters.
- Never ever leave any child or pets unattended in the area of your wall heater.
- Wall heaters need air, so make sure your wall heater is not beside any furniture blocks the air flow.
Here is a list of combustible objects. Make sure your wall heater is far from these objects:
- Blankets
- Cotton or wool clothing
- Cigarette lighters, or zippo fluid.
- Matches
- Alcohol
- Paint thinners
- Greasy or oily old rags
- Old newspapers and magazines
Protect against Carbon Monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide causes an averag eof 210 deaths a year that are not related to fire but carbon monoxide itself. The gas is hard to detect because it is colorless and odorless. Early symptons of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, impaired judgement.
If you are feeling any of these symptons, then immediately see a doctor.
All the new gas and propane wall heaters come with automatic shut-off systems if the oxygen level gets low. Although the shut-off system is a great safeguard, you should still install carbon monoxide detectors. You can buy some innexpensive carbon monoxide detectors from craigslist, amazon or ebay.
Smoke Alarms
This should be mandatory in every house near any propane appliace or furnace. It should also be installed nearby so you can hear it just incase it goes off. This is best for larger homes.
Smoke alarms are the best safety equipment to help your family escape from the fire. Make sure you always test the fire alarm atleast once a month and replace the battery every 3 months. Replace the batteries regardless of how much the fire alarm is used.
Always install the wall heater as based on the instructions. Read the manaual and if necessary consult a technician before installed a wall heater. For more fire safety tips visit NFPA.org.