Winter Storm Prep: 10 Tips to Safely Heat Your Home During a Power Outage

The winter season can often make a beautiful scene outside. Snow falling and covering the trees can provide a postcard winter wonderland to enjoy. However, often winter storms can present dangerous situations that can lead to power outages and hazards inside your home.

Should you be faced with a power outage this winter you can help protect yourself and others by taking a few extras step to ensure your home is safe and you are properly prepared to heat your home in the event of a power outage.

1.      Should your home lose power and you plan to use a fireplace, space heaters or a wood stove, it is important to make sure to always follow the manufacturers instructions and guidelines.

 2.      Only use electric space heaters with an automatic shut-off switch and non-glowing elements.

3.      You should only use fireplaces and wood-burning stoves that are properly vented to the outside of your home and do not leak gas from the flue or exhaust into the indoor area of your home.

4.      Never burn leaves or paper inside the fireplace as they can exit the fireplace and potentially start a fire inside your home.

5.      Avoid tripping hazards of cords from space heaters, but never run them under carpet or rugs and do not use extension cords to plug-in space heaters.

6.      Never turn on the stove to heat your home as this presents a significant fire risk.

7.      Be prepared with extra blankets and warm winter coats to help fight the chill inside your home.

8.      Children should never be left alone or unattended near a fireplace, wood stove or space heater.

9.      When using space heaters make sure to keep curtains, furniture, blankets and anything that could potentially catch on fire, at least 3 feet away. You should never cover a space heater.

10.  Never use a space heater with a damaged cord or a cord that is producing sparks.

Content source: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/duringstorm/indoorsafety.html