Home Heating Equipment

Now that winter is upon us, the Riverside Fire Department would like to remind residents to use extreme caution when utilizing home heating equipment. Heating equipment, according to the National Fire Protection Association, is the leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January and February.

More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and more than 20,000 are injured. Many of them might be alive today if they had only had the information they needed to avoid a disaster. Common causes for home heating equipment fires are:
• The lack of regular cleaning which leads to creosote build-up in wood burning stoves and chimneys
• Placing combustibles too close to home heaters
• Improper fueling of gas-fueled heating equipment

The Riverside Fire Department offers the following safety tips this winter for the safe handling of home heating equipment:

• When buying a new space heater, make sure it carries the mark of an independent testing laboratory, and be sure to have fixed space heaters installed by a qualified technician according to manufacturer's instructions or applicable code. Or, make sure a qualified technician checks to see that the unit has been properly installed.

• Have all wood and coal burning stoves, fireplaces, chimneys and flues inspected annually by a professional and cleaned accordingly.

• Portable space heaters need a three-foot clearance from anything that can burn and should always be turned off when leaving the room or going to sleep.

• Portable kerosene heaters must be fueled only in a well-ventilated area, free from other heat sources and open flames, and only when the device has cooled completely down. Use only the type of kerosene specified by the manufacturer for that device. Never substitute gasoline for kerosene.

If you have any question concerning this issue contact Riverside Fire Department Prevention and Education Unit.

Keith Payne
Assistant Fire Marshal