VDEM shares home heating safety tips for fall and winter
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) has shared tips from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Virginia residents stay safe while heating their homes in the fall and winter.
In the morning on Wednesday, Oct. 22, VDEM shared the following tips in a social media post from FEMA on how to heat your home while staying safe during colder weather:
- When using a space heater:
- Keep anything that can burn, like bedding, clothing and curtains, at least three feet away from the heater.
- Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off, so if it tips over, it shuts off.
- Turn heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
- Plug portable heaters directly into outlets and never into an extension cord or power strip.
- Only use portable heaters from a recognized testing laboratory.
- When using a fireplace:
- Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace to prevent embers or sparks from jumping out.
- Do not burn paper in your fireplace.
- Put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave your home.
- Put ashes in a metal container with a lid, outside, at least 10 feet from your home.
- When using a wood stove:
- Make sure your wood stove is three feet from anything that can burn.
- Do not burn paper in your wood stove.
- Put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave your home.
- Have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a professional.
- When using a furnace:
- Have your furnace inspected each year.
- Keep anything that can burn away from the furnace.
- When using a kerosene heater:
- Only use kerosene heaters from a recognized testing laboratory.
- Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off, so if it tips over, it shuts off.
- Refuel your cooled heater outside.
For more information on staying safe while heating your home in the colder months, visit FEMA's website.
