MERCER COUNTY W.Va. – Experts say secondary heating methods are a leading cause for house fires in colder months.
If you’re going to be using alternative heating methods like space heaters to fight the cold you should make sure you’re plugging them directly into a wall outlet.
“Don’t plug those up into extension cords or these power strips. Those heaters typically pull a lot of amperage. They’re not designed to be hooked up to anything other than the wall outlet. If not you’re going to overload the electrical system potentially which could cause a fire,” said Keith Gunnoe, director for Mercer County’s office of emergency management.
Gunnoe says you should make sure to keep combustible material at least three feet away from space heaters and kerosene heaters. You should also keep space heaters off surfaces like carpets and rugs.
It’s also a good idea to make sure chimneys, propane and natural gas furnaces are functioning properly to avoid a house fire.
“Prior to the winter months it’s good to contact your installer or someone who does those types of service works and have them check those furnaces just to make sure they’re burning correctly. Change the filters, just to make sure it’s up and burning and working adequately and safely,” said Gunnoe.
Gunnoe says it’s also never a bad idea to check and make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working in your home as well.
He says if you believe there’s smoke or carbon monoxide present in your home you should call 911 and get out of the house.
Gunnoe adds that if you’re going to be using a secondary heating method, the best practice is to turn it off when you leave the room or when you go to sleep.
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