2.25.2012

This Winter Keep Your Home Safe When Using Alternative Heating Sources

By Allen Young


Although summer is here and lots of people are thinking about keeping their homes cool, in a couple of months it will be time to start heating your home again. Since it has become more expensive to heat oil, plenty of people want a new way to heat their houses. Alternative methods, although cheaper, occasionally, are at more of a risk for starting fires. In the following paragraphs we are going over a few ways to keep your home safe when using these alternative heating sources.

The very first thing lots of people do is to go out and get an electric heater or an electric fireplace. It might be a huge fire threat depending on how you opt to set up your space heater or electric fireplace. Something critical you must know is that it is not good to leave a system running when you're not at home. If you're not home, despite the fact that the units are normally safe, it can be dangerous still to leave it on. Setting any items close to the devices while they are running is something you should not do as well. Usually try to keep the unit at least 3 feet from any wall or any other item that is flammable. Finally, you should never plug this unit into a power strip.

Of course many other people end up having themselves a wood fire stove or a fireplace. It can also be a fire hazard, but at the same time is a great way to heat your home. If you feel like you will be able to put in the stove yourself, it is critical to realize that it is better to let a professional do it for you. Correct installation is going to result in reducing the chance of fires and saving dollars.

Additionally after you have the unit in place you will need to make sure that you have your wood stove and chimney inspected and cleaned regularly. Chimney fires are usually the result of creosote that builds up in the stove and chimney. Another idea to be aware of is inserting a barrier made of metal or glass in front of the wood stove or fireplace. This will help to reduce any chances of any wood sparks landing on your flooring or other flammable materials. Adopting the same strategy as electric heaters, you should not keep your wood stove or fireplace burning if you are not there to watch it.

Having a smoke detector in every room is worth the investment. Although this is not normally required by legal requirements, this is an excellent way to help make sure your family is notified if there is a fire. You should also make certain you have a fully charged fire extinguisher handy on every level of your home. The prior recommendations should give you the know-how needed to protect your home from alternative energy sources.




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