Be sure to practise safe heating

It’s that time of the year again–time to start practising safe heating!

Give heating equipment such as furnaces, radiant heaters, space heaters, and hot water tanks space. Remove trash and materials stored near heating equipment. Keep combustibles at least three feet away from heating equipment at all times.

If you have a fireplace, use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks or burning wood from escaping. Have chimneys, woodstoves, and central heating systems inspected at least once a year, and have them cleaned if necessary.

Tap water scald burns, which most often occur in the bathroom, are associated with more deaths and injuries than those caused by any other hot liquid.

If the water temperature of your hot water tank is 130 F (54 C) or more, turn it down to 120 F (49 C) to prevent scald burns.

Smoke alarms

  • Properly install and maintain working smoke alarms on every level of your home and cottage, as well as outside the sleeping areas and inside the bedrooms.
  • Test weekly by pushing the alarm test button. Test monthly with actual smoke from a smouldering piece of cotton string, incense stick, or candlewick.
  • Vacuum every six months and disconnect the power first, if electrically powered.
  • Replace batteries when you change your clocks in the spring and fall, or when needed.
  • Replace smoke alarms if they are 10 years old!

Carbon monoxide alarms

  • If you heat with any type of fossil fuel such as natural gas, propane, wood, and oil, install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and cottage, as well as outside the sleeping areas and in the vicinity of heating equipment.
  • Test weekly by pushing the alarm test button.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instruction on care and maintenance.
  • Before buying a carbon monoxide alarm, know what you are getting! Many types on the market today will alarm at different parts per million of carbon monoxide!

Remember: If you never need what you learn about personal safety, you have lost nothing. But if you never learn what you need, you may lose everything . . . your family and your life!