Quincy, MA, Sept. 26–Pretty soon, people are going to begin seeking out supplemental methods to heat their homes for those nights when the home furnace just isn’t enough. These supplemental devices can also offset high heating bills, but for firefighters, Joe Homeowner’s desire offset heating costs can turn into an inrush of house fires that can be easily prevented.
Two of every three home heating fires in the United States in 1998, and three of every four related deaths, were attributed to supplemental heating equipment, according to a report released recently by NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), entitled U.S. Home Heating Fire Patterns and Trends.
While total heating equipment-related home fires declined 18% from the previous year, there were still an estimated 49,200 fires, resulting in 388 deaths, 1,445 injuries and $515 million in property damage in 1998. Supplemental heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January and February, and trails only cooking equipment in home fires year-round. The types of space heaters involved in these fires include all the major types: portable electric heaters, room gas heaters, portable kerosene heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces with or without inserts.
Leading reasons for fires starting with space heaters are: lack of regular cleaning, leading to creosote build-up in wood-burning devices and associated chimneys and connectors; failing to give space heaters space by installing or placing them too close to combustibles; basic flaws in the construction or design of wood-burning heating equipments; and fueling errors involving liquid- or gas-fueled heating equipment.
NFPA offers the following safety tips when considering supplemental heating sources this winter. With Fire Prevention Week practically upon us, now is a good time to get the message out to homeowners so that disaster might elude them this winter:
* Space heaters need a three-foot clearance from anything that can burn. Portable space heaters should always be turned off when leaving the room or going to sleep.
* When buying a new unit, make sure it carries the mark of an independent testing lab. Be sure that a qualified technician installs the unit or checks that the unit has been installed properly.
* Wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, chimney connectors, and all other solid-fueled heating equipment need to be inspected annually by a professional and cleaned as often as the inspections indicate. Also, a sturdy screen will keep sparks from flying into the room.
* Portable kerosene heaters must be fueled only in a well-ventilated area, away from flames and other heat sources, and only when the device has cooled completely. Use only the type of kerosene specified by the manufacturer for that device, and never use gasoline instead of kerosene. Also, be sure that portable kerosene heaters are legal for home use in your state.
* When turning a heating device on or off, be careful to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. When buying heaters, look for devices with automatic shutoff features.
* Be sure any gas-fueled heating device is installed with proper attention to ventilation, and if unvented gas space heaters are used in bedrooms or bathrooms, they must be small and wall-mounted. Also, LP (liquefied petroleum) gas heaters with self-contained fuel supplies are prohibited for home use by NFPA codes.
For more information on fire safety, please visit NFPA’s Web site at www.nfpa.org.
