Officials Warn of Winter Storm as CPSC Details Home Heating, Fire and Carbon Monoxide Risks
Officials warned of an approaching winter storm while the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission detailed heightened home-heating fire and carbon-monoxide risks, noting electric space heaters are involved in about 1,600 fires a year and fireplaces and chimneys in roughly 15,400 fires annually. The CPSC advises keeping space heaters three feet from flammables and plugged directly into wall outlets (and turned off when sleeping), using gasoline generators only outdoors at least 20 feet from the home, installing and testing smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms on every level and in each bedroom, and having furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves and chimneys professionally inspected and maintained.
đ Key Facts
- CPSC says electric space heaters are involved in an average of 1,600 fires a year.
- CPSC says fireplaces and chimneys are involved in an average of 15,400 fires annually.
- Regulators advise keeping space heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials, plugging them directly into wall outlets (not power strips), and turning them off when sleeping.
- Gasoline-powered generators should be used only outdoors and at least 20 feet away from the home.
- Homeowners should install and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home and in each bedroom.
- Improperly installed or poorly maintained furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves and cracked chimneys increase carbon monoxide and fire risk and should be inspected by professionals.
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- CPSC says electric space heaters are involved in an average of 1,600 fires a year and fireplaces and chimneys in an average of 15,400 fires annually.
- Regulators advise keeping space heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials, plugging them directly into wall outlets (not power strips), and turning them off when sleeping.
- CPSC guidance specifies that gasoline-powered generators should only be used outdoors and at least 20 feet from the home, and urges installing and testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level and in each bedroom.
- The article notes that improperly installed or poorly maintained furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves and cracked chimneys increase carbon-monoxide and fire risk and should be inspected by professionals.