Brandon Twp.- With temperatures dropping to near freezing and snow showers in the forecast last week, the heat is on as homeowners turn to their furnaces, wood-burning stoves and fireplaces for warmth.
Fire Chief David Kwapis warns residents however, to follow some fire safety precautions to avoid things getting too hot.
The chimney is of primary importance with wood-burning stoves and fireplaces.
‘We don’t get as many chimney fires as we used to, but with the economy the way it is, I think we’ll see more,? said Kwapis, noting that more people are using wood to heat their homes in an effort to save money. ‘Make sure you burn a good hard wood, such as oak and maple. Don’t burn soft woods such as pine, because they contain a lot of sap and that will create creosote.?
Chimneys should be cleaned twice a year of all creosote, a by-product of burning wood. Creosote builds up inside chimneys and can ignite itself when heated sufficiently. Screens and/or glass doors should also be in place to keep embers from coming out and catching rugs on fire.
With furnaces, air filters should be cleaned or changed seasonally. The area around the furnace should be clean, with no combustibles stored near it. Kwapis recommends a buffer of at least two to three feet around the furnace, as well as the hot water heater. Intake and exhaust vents for the furnace should also be checked to make sure they are clear of bird nests or other debris to avoid a carbon monoxide hazard.
Carbon monoxide, a highly poisonous gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, is produced by incomplete combustion and commonly caused by faulty parts or heat exchanger cracks on furnaces. At a level of 35 ppm for 6-8 hours, carbon monoxide causes mild headaches and dizziness. At 110 ppm, there may be a slight headache, and at 400 ppm, a frontal headache. At 1,600 ppm, symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning increase to dizziness, nausea, and convulsions after only 45 minutes of exposure. At 3,200 ppm, death occurs within 30 minutes.
Kwapis recommends that homeowners have a heating and cooling company do a furnace inspection yearly.
As Halloween and Christmas approach, the fire chief also advises caution in the use of extension cords. Do not place rugs over extension cords, and do not overload them. When using candles, make sure there is nothing above them and they are placed far away from drapes, wall hangings and dried flowers.
Electrical fires are the most common ones that township firefighters respond to, and ones in which a hazard may be difficult to detect. If a plug falls out of an electrical outlet or the outlet is loose, it needs to be replaced. Circuit breakers or fuses needing to be reset regularly is another sign something is wrong.
The fire department has a thermal imaging camera and if a resident notices any odd burning smells, firefighters can use the camera to find any hot spots within the walls.
As always, the most important tool homeowners can use to protect themselves are working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace the batteries regularly and check to make sure the detectors are working on a monthly basis.
‘It’s important to have detectors, as well as an escape plan in case of fire,? said Kwapis. ‘Practice the plan with your family, especially families with young children.?