Exercising Caution with Alternative Heat

12/6/2013 (Permalink)

Everyone wants to keep his or her homes and workspace warm during the winter. In an effort to keep heating costs down, many residents and employees will turn to an alternative heat source, such as fireplaces, wood-burning stoves and portable space heaters.

When used and maintained as directed, these methods can effectively warm your home or office. However, there is also an inherent danger, as heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires during the winter months.

In 2008, the most recent years statistics were available, heating equipment caused more than 66,000 fires and led to more than $1.1 billion in direct property damage. Portable space heaters were responsible for nearly one third of these fires. Some authorities believe the public is at an increased risk of alternative heating fires this year as residents search for ways to cut heating bills in tough economic times.