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TAYLORSVILLE — Firefighters are pleading with residents to be smart inside their homes this winter.
Crews have seen fires and carbon monoxide poisoning cases that started with barbecues placed inside houses for heating, or by homeowners trying to burn real wood in decorative gas fireplaces.
"Home heating accounts for a large number of fires throughout the winter," said Desmond Johnson with Unified Fire Authority.
Johnson surveyed a house in Taylorsville and immediately walked downstairs to the furnace room, where multiple issues can surface.
Furnaces
Furnace filters can lead to problems, he said, if they are clogged with dust and grime.
"Now we have fans that are overloaded and are pushing against that resistance," Johnson explained. "The fans will actually start a fire."
Johnson said it's important for homeowners to have their furnaces regularly serviced, and to leave space around their furnaces.
"It can also pose a fire risk by having combustible materials right next to an open flame source," Johnson said.
Related
Space heaters
Johnson warned of proper use and maintenance of space heaters and other heating devices, in the event furnaces go out during the winter.
Newer models may have safety countermeasures built in, he said, but older ones generally are less likely to have them.
Johnson encouraged homeowners to check cords for exposed wires and to note what electronics are plugged into individual outlets.
"We make sure we don't overload any circuits by plugging in multiple devices into the same circuit," he said.
Detector batteries
Johnson said it was also important for homeowners to check batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
"Often times the time that we think about it is in the middle of the night when we hear the chirp," Johnson said.
Johnson said it's good to have more than one carbon monoxide detector in a home.
"Having that secondary detector is a great idea and a great way to help prevent those kinds of tragic situations," he said.
