Chimney, fireplace, and other home heating safety
With it getting colder in our area, the Marion Fire Department wants to remind the community about common fire risks with chimneys, fireplaces, and other home heating systems, when not maintained or used correctly.
Here are some essential tips on managing your chimney and fireplaces.
- Schedule annual chimney inspections to check for any blockages, buildup, or any strucural damage.
- Always use dry wood for your fires. Never use improper burning materials such as trash, cardboard or treated wood, as items like these can increase creosote buildup and emit harmful fumes
- Use safety screens to prevent embers from escaping.
- Keep all flammable materials like furniture, curtains, and decorations a safe distance away from your fireplace, 3 feet is recommended as a safe distance.
Ensuring you have proper ventilation, never leaving your fires unattended, and making sure your home is equipped with working smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors are more crucial ways to ensure home safety during the cold months.
Heating equiment is also one of the leading causes of home fire deaths. Fire departments responded to an average of 38,881 fires involving heating equipment per year from 2019-2023, accounting for 12% of all reported home fires during this time. Resulting in an estimated 432 civilian deaths. According to NFPA research.
- Space heaters are among some of the heating equiment responsible for more than one-quarter of the fires talked about above.
- Always keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from any flammable materials, always place them on stable, level surfaces, and never leave them unattended.
Following these tips for safely heating your home during these cold months is crucial for the safety of you, your home, your family and your pets. If you have any questions regarding home heating safety, contact the Marion Fire Department.
For more information regarding safely heating your home visit the NFPA's website below.
https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/heating
