All Heat Pumps

Home Heating Tips

The National Fire Protection Association suggests these tips for home heating safety:

• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment, such as the furnace, fireplace, wood stove or portable heater.
• Only use heating equipment that is labeled by a recognized testing laboratory.
• Never use your oven for heating.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.
• Turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• For fuel-burning space heaters, always use the proper fuel as specified by the manufacturer.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room and burn only dry, seasoned wood. Allow ashes to cool before disposing in a metal container, which is kept a safe distance from the home.
• For wood-burning stoves, install chimney connectors and chimneys following manufacturer’s instructions or have a professional do the installation.
• Make sure all fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Install and maintain carbon monoxide (CO) alarms to avoid the risk of CO poisoning.
• If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not attempt to light the appliance. Turn off all the controls and open doors and windows. Call a gas service person immediately.
• Test smoke alarms at least monthly.

From Kentucky.gov