Home Heating Equipment Safety - The City of Red Deer

Heating equipment fires make up the third leading cause of home fires. Furnaces, fireplaces, space heaters, water heaters and chimneys can be potential fire hazards if not installed or used with proper care.

Space Heaters
Many space heater fires occur in bedrooms and living rooms when combustibles such as clothing, bedding, drapes, furniture and paper are kept too close to the heat source. Space heater fires occur most often in the evening and involve bedding materials. A sleeping child may have kicked the covers off the bed and over the heater.

Do not dry wet clothes over or near heaters.
Follow the "3 Foot Rule".
Supervise children and pets at all times when a portable space heater is in use.
Check space heaters regularly for fraying or damaged wires and overheating. Discontinue use of heaters showing these signs.

Furnaces & Water Heaters

If you smell gas, don't turn any electrical switches on or off.
Open all windows, leave and call your gas company.
Keep the area around the furnace and water heater clear of combustibles to avoid fire.
Do not use flammable liquids near furnaces or water tanks. vapours can travel through the air and reach the pilot flame.
Ensure your pilot light is burning properly.
Have your furnace checked by a qualified person as it warrants.

Fireplaces

Have a professional inspect your chimney and flue at least once a year and clean them as often as necessary to keep them free from dangerous build-up of soot and creosote.
Burn clean, well seasoned wood that has been split and dried properly. Seasoned wood lights faster, burns better and produces less smoke than "green" wood.
Open damper before lighting the fire, and keep it open until the ashes are cool enough to touch.
Make sure the fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving the house.
Never use gasoline, charcoal lighters or other fuel to light or relight a fire. vapours may explode.
Do not use coal or charcoal in a fireplace because of the danger of carbon monoxide build-up.

Never overload the fireplace.
Don't stuff scrap papers, gift wrappings and old Christmas trees into the fireplace. They can burn rapidly giving off enough heat to set the soot on fire. This can lead to overheating of wall or roof materials. Rising debris may also light the shingles on fire.