Space heater and fireplace safety checklist

Heating was the second leading cause of home fires in 2021, with an estimated 32,200 fires, 190 deaths, 625 injuries and $442 million in property loss. From 2017 to 2019, portable heaters caused only 3 percent of home heating fires but 41 percent of the deadly ones.

Space heaters

• Set each heater on a solid, flat surface
• Keep 3 feet clear around itThat includes furniture, curtains, bedding and anything else that can burn.
• Stop using a heater with a cracked or damaged cord or plug
• Plug it straight into a wall outletNever use an extension cord or a power strip.
• Turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed
• Never heat the house with the oven or the stoveA gas stove used for heat can fill the house with carbon monoxide.
• Use only clear K-1 kerosene in a kerosene heaterNever overfill it, and run it in a room with good airflow, away from curtains.
• Check each heater for a lab listing and a tip-over shutoffLook for a mark from a recognized testing lab, such as UL, a thermostat, and a switch that turns it off if it falls over.

Fireplaces and wood stoves

• Have the chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional every yearCheck a wood stove's pipe and chimney every month for damage or blockages too.
• Keep 3 feet clear around the fireplace or stove
• Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplaceIt should be heavy enough to stop a rolling log and cover the whole opening.
• Don't burn paper
• Put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave the house
• Keep the wood stove doors closedOpen them only to load or stoke the fire. The stove itself should be tested by a qualified testing lab.
• Keep fireplace switches and remotes out of children's reach
• Keep flammable liquids away from every heat source
• Put ashes in a metal container with a lidSet the container outside, at least 10 feet from the house.

The furnace

• Have the heating equipment cleaned and inspected by a professional every year