Home heating fire safety: Stay warm, stay safe

As temperatures drop across North Idaho, wood stoves, and portable space heaters become an important part of keeping our homes warm. Unfortunately, heating equipment can also create a significant fire risk when it is improperly installed, maintained, or used.

Heating is the second leading cause of home fires in the United States. Many of these fires can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions.

Wood stoves: Wood-burning stoves are common throughout our community and can provide reliable heat, but they require regular maintenance and careful use.  Have your chimney, stovepipe, and woodstove inspected and cleaned annually by a qualified professional. If you are going to use manufactured logs, use the ones specifically labeled for use in wood stoves. Some fireplace logs contain wax or other binders and should not be used in a wood stove.

Keep furniture, firewood, clothing, curtains, and other combustible materials at least three feet away from wood stoves and dispose of ashes properly. 

Portable space heaters: Space heaters can provide supplemental heat, but they require proper use. While portable space heaters are one of the more uncommon heat sources, they have accounted for a disproportionately large portion of fatal heating fires.

Always keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including bedding, furniture, curtains, clothing, and paper.  Electric space heaters should be plugged directly into a wall outlet. Never plug a space heater into an extension cord or power strip.  I recommend you choose a heater with an automatic tip-over shutoff and turn it off whenever you leave the room or go to sleep.

Smoke detectors save lives! Fire prevention is important, but early detection is critical when a fire does occur. Make sure your home has working smoke alarms on every level, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas. Test smoke alarms regularly and replace them according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Homes with wood stoves, furnaces, or other fuel-burning appliances should also have working carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless and can become deadly before occupants realize there is a problem.

If you have elderly neighbors, take a moment to check on them this winter. Make sure they have a safe, reliable source of heat and help ensure they understand basic home heating and fire safety.

For additional home heating and fire-prevention information, visit the U.S. Fire Administration website at usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/prevent-fires/heating.

Jeff Armstrong is the fire chief of Selkirk Fire Rescue & EMS and and Northside Fire District.