Winter warm-up: Home heating tips

Did you know that the peak time for home heating fires is between 6 and 9 p.m.? Or that space heaters account for nearly three-quarters of home-fire fatalities, two-thirds of the injuries and more than half of property damage?

Those are some of the intriguing and yes, disturbing findings of a new survey by the National Fire Protection Agency—findings that serve as a good reminder at the start of winter to take care in heating our homes, especially if we use space heaters.

According to the NFPA, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 62,200 reported home structure fires in 2005, resulting in 670 civilian deaths, 1,550 injuries and $909 million in direct property damage. Chimneys and chimney connectors accounted for the largest share of home heating fires, 36 percent in 2005, but resulted in no deaths. The chief reason for these fires was failure to clean chimneys and connectors.

But space heaters continue to be the most dangerous, at least in terms of injuries and fatalities. And the major reason for space heater blazes: The heater was too close to something that could catch fire.

Fire safety officials take heart in some of the report’s good news. There has been a steady decline in home heating fires since 1982 when there more than 235,000 fires resulting in 1,190 deaths and 3,480 injuries. NFPA attributes the decline to a variety of factors, including safer equipment, better building codes, wider use of smoke alarms, somewhat warmer winters and public education.

To continue the public education, we offer you these safe heating tips from NFPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission:

• Inspect all heating equipment annually, and clean as necessary.
• When buying a space heater, make sure it carries the mark of an independent testing laboratory and is approved for use in your community (some communities may not allow kerosene heaters, for example).
• Space heaters need space. Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least three feet away from heating equipment.
• Use the proper grade of the proper fuel for your liquid-fueled space heater, and never use gasoline in any heater not approved for gasoline use.  Refuel only in a well-ventilated area and when the equipment is cool.
• Turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
• Plug power cords only into outlets with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.
• Inspect for cracked, frayed or broken plugs or loose connections. Replace before using.
• Have your chimney inspected each year and cleaned if necessary.
• Use a sturdy fireplace screen. Allow ashes to cool before disposing. Dispose of ashes in a metal container.
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. For the best protection interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home—when one sounds, they all sound. Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
• Install and maintain a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area.
• Never use an oven to heat your home.
• Periodically check the CPSC's recall list to make sure a heater you own has not been the subject of a recall, such as the one pictured above that was recalled in June.

Buying advice
If you are considering buying a space heater this winter, read our full report on heaters including Ratings (for subscribers) and a video.