Take Care When Using Alternative Heating Sources

Although summer is here many people are worried about keeping their homes cool, in a couple of months it will be time to start heating your home again. With the escalating costs of heating oil going up every year, many people are looking for alternative ways to heat their homes. Alternative approaches, although cheaper, sometimes, are at more of a risk for starting fires. In this article we are going over a few ways to keep your home safe when using these alternative heating sources.

Getting an electrical fireplace or electric heater is one of the earliest things people do. If not adequately looked after, electric fireplaces and space heaters can pose a very real fire risk. First point you should know about most of these units is that you should never ever leave these running when your not home. Despite the fact that they are typically safe units, having these working when no one is home is a huge fire risk. When they are running you should also never place any objects near the devices. Usually try to keep the system at least 3 feet from any wall or any other object that is flammable. Lastly, you should not plug this device into a power strip.

A wood fire stove or fireplace is something that a great many people decide on getting. Although this can be a great way to warm up your home, this can also be a fire hazard. First of all you should recognize is that regardless if you feel you could put the stove in yourself, you should always hire professionals to install it for you. This way you will be positively sure that it is installed properly and this little fact itself will help lessen the risk of fires.

Furthermore after you have the unit in place you will need to make sure that you have your wood stove and chimney inspected and cleaned regularly. Creosote is most likely the major cause why chimney fires happen and it builds up over time in the chimney and stove. Another thing you must remember is to put some type of metal or glass barrier in front of the wood stove or fireplace. Flammable elements or carpeting that is near won't have a chance to spark if sparks land on it because of the barrier. If you are not at your home, it is a good idea to shut the wood stove or fireplace off.

Getting a smoke detector in every room is worth the investment. If there is a fire, it really is a great way to protect your family and yourself as best you can, even though it is not required by law. You must also make sure you have a fully charged fire extinguisher on hand on every level of your home. It is always good to be prepared as best you can even though you can't foresee the future, but the above tips should help.


If you're eager to read about Section 21 Notice Rent Arrears, then you should know Section 21 Notice Form.