By Cristin Ross

cross@jacksonvilleprogress.com

The National Fire Protection Association reports heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January and February, and trails only cooking equipment in home fires year-round.

Local fire officials are urging caution this winter to Cherokee County residents using electric space heaters during the cold-weather months.

“It’s always important this time of year to remember to be safe around heating equipment,” Jacksonville Fire Department Lt. David Glidewell said. “Equipment — central heating units, wood-burning stoves and even electric space heaters — all need to be checked out and cleaned before use, to assure they function properly through the cold season.”

In 2005, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 62,200 reported U.S. home structure fires, with associated losses of 670 civilian deaths, 1,550 civilian injuries, and $909 million in direct property damage. That same year, heating equipment fires accounted for 16 percent of all reported home fires and 22 percent of home fire deaths. Space heaters, whether portable or stationary, accounted for one-third of the home heating fires and three-fourths of home heating fire deaths in 2005.

Officals report the leading cause of heating equipment-related fires is placing heaters too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses or bedding.

Glidewell recommends allowing three to five feet between furniture and a heater.

“Always remember to keep anything that might be flammable away from heaters, including fire places,” Glidewell said.

The National Fire Protection Association provides these tips to remember when purchasing or using space heaters and wood-burning and natural gas-burning heaters this winter.

• When buying a new space heater, make sure it carries the mark of an independent testing laboratory and is legal for use in your community. (Some communities do not permit portable kerosene heaters, for example.)

• Install stationary (fixed) space heaters according to manufacturer’s instructions or applicable codes or better yet, have it installed by a professional.

• Plug electric space heater into an outlet with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.

• Use the proper grade of the proper fuel for liquid-fueled space heaters, and never use gasoline in any heater not approved for gasoline use. Refuel only in a well-ventilated area and when the equipment is cool.

• Use only dry, seasoned wood in fireplace or wood stove to avoid the build-up of creosote, an oily deposit that easily catches fire and accounts for most chimney fires and the largest share of home heating fires generally. Use only paper or kindling wood, not a flammable liquid, to start the fire. Do not use artificial logs in wood stoves.

• Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room. Allow fireplace and woodstove ashes to cool before disposing in a metal container, which is kept a safe distance from your home.

• Turn off space heaters whenever the room they are in is unoccupied or under circumstances when manufacturer’s instructions say they should be turned off. Portable space heaters are so easy to knock over in the dark that they should be turned off when you go to bed, but make sure your primary heating equipment for the bedrooms is sufficient to avoid risks to residents from severe cold.

• Do not use an oven to heat a home.

• Make sure fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside, that the venting is kept clear and unobstructed, and that the exit point is properly sealed around the vent, all of which is to make sure deadly carbon monoxide does not build up in the home.

• Test smoke alarms monthly; install a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area.