This Winter Keep Your Home Safe When Using Alternative Heating Sources

By Mari Friedberg


As summer draws to a close, it will be time to think about what you should do for heating during the winter months and how you should go about it. Because it has grown to be more expensive to heat oil, lots of people want a new way to heat their houses. Alternative methods, while cheaper, sometimes, are at more of a risk for starting fires. This article will cover several ways you can prevent damage to your home when heating it alternatively.

Getting an electric fireplace or electric heater is one of the earliest things people do. These so called space heating units or electric fireplaces can be a rather large fire risk if not used properly. When you're not home, it is significant to know that you should shut off any of these units. It is a huge fire danger having these generally safe units running while you are not at your house. While they are running you should also never place any objects near the devices. Always try to keep the unit at least 3 feet from any wall or any other object that is flammable. Lastly, you should not plug this device into a power strip.

Obviously many other people get themselves a wood fire stove or a fireplace. It can also be a fire danger, but at the same time is usually a great way to heat your home. If you feel like you are able to put in the stove yourself, it is critical to realize that it is better to let a professional do it for you. When it is set up properly you will know for sure that there is less of a possibility for a fire to start.

Cleansing the chimney and wood stove on a regular basis is vital to keep yourself safe once the unit is properly set up. Chimney fires are generally due to creosote that collects in the stove and chimney. An additional idea to be aware of is placing a barrier made of metal or glass in front of the wood stove or fireplace. This will help to reduce any likelihood of any wood sparks landing on your flooring or other flammable materials. And the same as with electric heaters you shouldn't leave your fireplace or wood stove burning if you're not at home.

Over a final note you should make sure there is a smoke detector in every room of your house. Although this is not typically required by legal requirements, this is an excellent way to help make sure your family is notified if there is a fire. Each level of your dwelling should also have a fire extinguisher all set to be used. While the tips above should help avoid chances of a fire, incidents still happen and it is better to be prepared.




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