SAN ANTONIO — Note: The above video aired in January 2019.
With temperatures falling and our first freezing temperatures of the season in the forecast, now is the time to make sure you're home heating is safe.
Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths, the San Antonio Fire Department said.
A house fire not only puts the lives of your family at risk, it could also put firefighters and first responders in harm's way. SAFD offers the following tips to prevent most heating fires.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
- Install and maintain CO (carbon monoxide) alarms to avoid the risk of CO poisoning.
- Keep anything that can burn at least three-feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
- Have a three-foot “kid-safe zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
- Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
- Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.