Heating Safely
 Alternative heating may save money but can also pose risks if done carelessly. The U.S. Product Safety Commission says more than 25,000 residential fires each year are associated with space heaters and that more than 300 people die in these fires.
Some safety tips:
- Equip your home with smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Use space heaters with guards protecting the heating element.
- Look for tested and certified heaters.
- Keep doors open to the rest of the house if you are using an unvented fuel-burning space heater.
- Never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep or leave the area.
- Never use or store flammable liquids around a space heater.
- Place heaters at least three feet from objects such as bedding and drapes.
- Have gas and kerosene space heaters inspected annually.
- Keep your heater on a hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or carpets.
- Do not hide cords under rugs or carpets.
- If using an extension cord, use only ones marked #14 or #12 A WG. Light-duty extension cords with high-wattage appliances can start fires.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
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