Ajax Fire and Emergency Services is reminding building owners, landlords and residents, of heating safety tips.
In a statement, it said it’s important to ensure your indoor heating appliances are working properly.
Following are some tips:
- Furnaces and fireplaces should be inspected and cleaned by a qualified professional.
- Make sure fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Residents using space heaters should ensure a 1 meter clearance around the unit.
- Turn heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
- Plug space heaters directly into wall outlets and never into an extension cord or power strip.
- Inspect for cracked or damaged cords, broken plugs, or loose connections.
“Now that the chilly weather has arrived and winter is just around the corner, it’s important to make sure our home heating systems are working properly. Just like we make sure our vehicles are ready for winter driving conditions, it’s also important to maintain our furnaces and fireplaces for fire and carbon monoxide safety,” Shelley Langer, Fire Prevention Inspector, Town of Ajax.
Quick Facts
- Heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires in Ontario.
- Carbon monoxide alarm(s) are required to be installed adjacent to all sleeping areas in dwellings with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached storage garage.
- Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and replaced after 10 years.
- Batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms should be changed at least once per year.