10 Winter Heating Safety Tips

Name: Gross Heating & Air Conditioning
Address: 3260 N. 126th Street, Brookfield, WI, 53005
Telephone: 262-783-6000

by Gross Heating | Jan 28, 2016

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According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires in the United States. Half of those fires occur during the months of December, January, and February. Make sure your family and your home are safe this winter by taking these precautions to prevent or lessen the risk of heating-related fires:

Have your furnace cleaned and serviced annually by a qualified technician to ensure it’s working safely.
Don’t attempt to handle furnace repairs yourself. Leave it to the professionals.
If you have a high-efficiency furnace, clear drifts and snow away from intake pipes. Intake pipes are usually those white plastic pipes that extend from the side or rear of your home.
Never use heating appliances like electric space heaters while sleeping. Before using a space heater, make sure it has a control that will switch off automatically should the heater tip over.
Keep trash, old rags, sawdust, paint thinners, gasoline, and other combustibles away from the furnace.
Make sure each level of your home has smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Be sure to check your alarms regularly—a good time to check is twice a year when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends.
Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning—dull headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be especially dangerous for people who are sleeping.
Inspect your furnace filter monthly. Be sure to close the panel door of your furnace when changing the filter to decrease the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Plan and practice an escape plan with your family. If you’re planning to exit windows, be sure they open easily.
Consider a maintenance agreement with Gross Heating & Air Conditioning. Your system will last longer if it’s properly maintained, and we’ll remind you when it’s time for a check-up. And you can rest easy knowing your system is working properly and safely.