It’s tempting: Your house doesn’t heat efficiently or you really only use one or two rooms during the winter months. Why pay to heat a whole home when you could turn on a space heater and stay toasty in the area you’re in?
This family lost their entire home just last week because of a space heater fire. And they aren’t the only ones. According to the National Fire Protection Association, “32 percent of home heating fires involve space heaters” and “they are involved in 79 percent of home heating fire deaths.”
While there are ways to use a space heater semi-safely, consumers should know that they pose a severe risk, especially when pets or children could accidently tip over a space heater or if you’re using an older model that doesn’t have all the safety features built into newer devices.
But space heaters aren’t the only cause of winter house fires. Here are a few more more tips on how to avoid fires during the cold months:
- Don’t plug too many things into extension cords (looking at you, Christmas decorations)
- Keep oven mitts and dish towels away from flames
- Don’t leave anything cooking unattended
- Don’t smoke indoors, make sure you fully put out cigarettes outside
- Don’t lay anything over heating sources (careful with stockings!) or hang things near it
- Don’t heat your house with the oven
- Keep a fire extinguisher in the house
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working
- Consider a wax warmer instead of open flame candles
- Water your Christmas tree!
- Use caution with generators
- Leave the wood stove door closed at all times unless loading more wood
- Have your chimney inspected yearly
If you have already suffered property damage from fire, or or any other insured loss, don’t panic. Sabel Adjusters and our team of public adjusters are professionally trained to deal with these claims from start to finish!
We can help negotiate with your insurance company and get you the compensation you deserve! We work for you!
