7 Fire Safety Tips to help keep you safe this winter season

Did you know that heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths? More than half of home heating fires are reported during December, January and February. We want you to be warm and cozy this winter… and we also want you to be safe.

Here are 7 tips that can help keep you safe and provide peace of mind as we head into the winter heating season.

---

1. Be sure to test smoke alarms once a month.
2. Always have a three foot “Kid Free Zone” around open fires and space heaters. Keep anything that is flammable at least three feet away from heating equipment such as a furnace, fireplace, wood stove and portable space heaters.
3. Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving home – or going to bed.

4. Never use your oven to heat your home.
5. Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning heaters.

6. Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected each year by a qualified professional.
7. Be sure to have a qualified service professional install heating equipment, fuel storage equipment and water heaters according to local codes and manufacturers instructions.