With the leaves changing colors and the temperatures dropping, fall has clearly arrived here in New Hampshire, and accompanying the change in season is the renewed need to heat your home. But before you turn your heat on, remember to keep safety in mind, considering that heating represents the second leading cause of residential fires in the United States.
It may come as a surprise, but heating actually accounts for 14 percent of all the residential building fires that fire departments across our country respond to, according to the Insurance Journal. In fact, from 2008 to 2010, an estimate average of 50,100 heating fires occurred in residential buildings in our country each year. Sadly, these fires resulted in 150 deaths, 575 injuries and $326 million of property loss.
The term “heating fires” refers to fires caused by central heating units, fireplaces, chimneys, heating stoves, portable or fixed local heating units, and water heaters. During the fall months, as homeowners begin turning on their heat, our country normally witnesses as increase in these types of fires. However, over the past few decades, the number of heating fires has significantly dropped, reaching its peak in the 1970s and early 1980s with the advent of alternative heating methods like wood stoves and space heaters.
Despite the fact that the number of heating fires has been on the decline in recent years, falling from 200,000 fires in 1983 to about 46,800 fires in 2010, it’s still important to keep safety in mind when using heating equipment. The following safety tips provided by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) will help you prevent heating fires in your home as you transition into the fall and winter months:
Check your heating equipment and be sure it is marked with the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
- If you use space heaters, plug them directly into outlets instead of power strips or extension cords. Make sure you turn all space heaters off before leaving your home, and never leave them running near an unattended child or pet.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home and test them regularly to ensure proper functionality.
- Keep your chimney and other heating equipment well maintained. It is recommended to have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually by a professional. Among the residential building heating fires that occurred between 2008 and 2010, the USFA reports that 87 percent were fires confined to chimneys, fuels and/or fuel burners.
- Always keep heating equipment at least three feet away from any objects that could burn. According to the USFA, heating sources placed too close to combustibles caused 30 percent of the residential building heating fires that occurred between 2008 and 2010.
At Knapton, Reade & Woods, a family-owned insurance agency serving Hillsboro NH and its surrounding communities for more than 60 years, the protection of your home and assets is our priority. For additional safety information or to get a free quote for insurance in Hillsboro NH or the surrounding area, please call us today at 603-464-3422, or submit our online quote request form.
