The Lowe’s Home Safety Council, based in Wilkesboro, N.C., offers these tips on the proper use of space heaters, stoves and fireplaces:
– Keep portable space heaters and woodburning stoves at least 36 inches from anything that can burn, including furniture, bedding, wallpaper, clothing, pets and people. Turn the heater/stove off when you leave the room or before you go to sleep.
– Never leave children or pets unsupervised in a room with a space heater or woodburning stove.
– Place woodburning stoves on an approved stove board to protect the floor from heat and hot embers. Burn only wood.
– Be sure all space heaters and woodburning stoves have been tested by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories.
– Never place articles for drying over a space heater or stove.
– Install at least one smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm on every level of your home and near the sleeping areas.
– Use seasoned wood in fireplaces, since it burns longer and hotter than fresh-cut wood. Never burn boxes, paper or greenery, which can cause flash fires in chimneys and/or float out of your chimney and ignite your roof. Always use a fireplace screen.
– Hire a professional to inspect your chimney before the start of every heating season and clean if necessary. Buildup of creosote (a substance that forms when wood burns) or blocked vents can cause chimney fires or high carbon monoxide levels.
– Never use a charcoal or gas cooking stove to heat your home. It is a carbon monoxide hazard. Also, extended use of a cooking stove can cause surrounding wood or paneling to ignite.
For additional tips and free brochures, call 800-SAFE-HOME (800-723-34663) or visit the Web site at loweshomesafety.org.
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