Put a Freeze on Winter Home Fires

Half of all home heating fires occur in the Winter months.

Half of all home heating fires occur in the months of December, January and February. Here are seven tips that can help prevent a devastating fire at your home this winter.

7 ways to put a freeze on winter fires

1. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.
2. Keep portable generators outside, away from windows and as far away as possible from your home.
3. Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month.
4. Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year.
5. Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container and keep it outside at least 10 feet from your home and any nearby buildings.
6. Plug only one heat-producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.
7. And most importantly, don’t forget to install and maintain working smoke detectors.

Be fire smart as you stay cozy and warm this winter.

Source: National Fire Prevention Association. www.nfpa.org/winter