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Turn Up the Heat and Your Safety: Tips for Winter Fire Safety

Soon, it will begin to cool down in Texas. And you know what that means: using your fireplace or furnace. So before winter gets here, be sure to get your fireplace checked and turn on the furnace. Here are some good fire safety tips to keep your home and family safe.

Fireplaces

• Have your chimney inspected every year and cleaned if necessary
• Do not use flammable liquids to start or accelerate any fire
• Don’t use excessive amounts of paper to build roaring fires
• Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace opening
• Keep flammable materials away from your fireplace
• If you use synthetic logs, follow the directions on the package and never add wood or any other material to the fire
• Before you go to sleep, be sure the fireplace fire is fully extinguished

Furnaces

• Have your furnace inspected annually to ensure it is in good working condition
• Be sure all furnace controls and emergency shutoffs are working properly
• Leave repairs to a qualified specialist – do not attempt furnace repairs yourself
• If the walls or ceiling near your furnace are hot or discolored, additional pipe insulation or clearance may be necessary
• Check the flue pipe and pipe seams for holes and cracks (soot along seams may indicate a leak)
• Check the chimney for cracks and loose bricks (all unused flue openings should be sealed with solid masonry)
• Keep trash and other combustibles away from the heating system

Fire / Home Safety

• Be sure all your home’s smoke alarms are working
• Plan and practice a home escape plan with your family
• Teach small children about 911
• Contact your local fire department with any questions or concerns