Heaters can cause fires that can cause serious damage, injuries or death. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment caused 44,210 home fires and 480 deaths between 2016 and 2020.
Using these recommended safety tips provided by the NFPA may help prevent preventable fires: - Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from heat sources.
- Never leave a space heater unattended. Turn off when leaving a room or sleeping.
- Never plug a space heater into an extension cord.
- Never use a cooking stove to heat your home or dry clothes.
- Place space heaters on a level, flat surface on the ground.
- Have a qualified service professional inspect your heating system annually.
- Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms.
- Never use a space heater or any appliance with a damaged cord.
