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There is something about the winter months and curling up with a good book by the fireplace. But did you know that heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths? With a few simple safety tips and precautions you can prevent most heating fires from happening.

1. Keep anything that can burn at least three-feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.

2. Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.

3. Never use your oven to heat your home.

4. Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.

6. Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

7. Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.

8. Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.

9. Test smoke alarms monthly.

Stay Fire Safe!