Heat Your Home Safely This Winter
This is a reminder from The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) that consumers can achieve comfort and desired energy savings without increasing the risk of harm to themselves or others.
To ensure everyone’s safety:
- NEVER use a gas stove or oven for space heating.
- NEVER leave open burning fireplaces unattended.
- NEVER leave burning candles unattended.
Supplemental home heating methods require strict adherence to safety precautions. Use extreme caution if you choose to supplement your primary heat supply. Wood-burning fireplaces, candles, and a portable fire pit can also be a fire hazard.
Always ensure adequate venting if you use a fireplace or wood burning stove. Consider that most gas and kerosene heaters, stoves, and grills are not intended for indoor use because of the ventilation that they require, so indoor use is not recommended.
Electric space heaters can help compensate for a cooler inside temperature and can be efficient when used on a limited basis to heat small, localized areas. However, they too can be dangerous and a fire hazard, causing injury or death.
When using electric space heaters at home:
- Use only those with the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) label.
- Remove lint and dust from them regularly.
- Keep them well away from papers, curtains, furniture, and other flammable items.
- Set them only on a non-flammable level surface, away from foot traffic.
- Turn them off whenever you are not in the room or may fall asleep.
- Supervise children and any pet in the vicinity.
- Make sure open-faced heaters have a proper screen and grate in place.
- Check for frayed cords before each use and for overheating cords periodically.
- Avoid using extension cords. If you do, use only properly grounded and insulated heavy-duty electrical cords (UL listed).
- NEVER hide a cord or extension cord under furniture, rugs, or drapes.