| Show Keep warm this winter without winter without going up in smoke Norbert Bensch St f Writer Writer- WINTERS WINTER'S A cold weather Y Y brings additional fire danger to homes The usual hazards smoking hazards smoking electrical problems curious children and faulty appliances are appliances are areas as dangerous as ever But winter adds the hazards of heating appliances wood woodi I i. i i r burning stoves and tightly sealed homes Here are are some problem areas to watch for Electric Heaters Most Heaters Most heaters use between 10 and amps This load added to a normal household circuit 15 amps can easily overheat overheat overheat over over- heat wiring Always plug portable heaters directly into an out- out i. i J let Never use an extension cord If the heater cord shows wear replace it Dont Don't patch it Locate heater away from combustibles and keep children away Fireplaces Fireplaces- Fireplaces Fireplaces-Don't Dont Don't use fireplaces to burn paper Roaring fires of paper and trash etc send dangerous flames and sparks up the chimney Always use a full- full sized fireplace screen to catch stray sparks If you burn fresh rot cut wood or you bum burn wood wood- constantly your chimney will need cleaning more often Artificial logs burn hot Use only one at a time Wood Burning Stoves Wood Stoves Wood stoves should be professionally installed and properly maintained Chimney and ashes should be cleaned regularly Wood Woodsmoke Woodsmoke smoke moke leaves a flammable coating creosote inside pipes and chimneys which must be removed Keep flammables flammables flammables flam- flam mables away from wood stoves protect exposed waIland wall waIl walland walland and floor areas Simple test test- walls and floors should not get too hot for the bare hand Kerosene Heaters Heaters- Never refuel while lighted or indoors Use the proper grade of kerosene Never place near combustibles Dont Don't leave unattended IJ Use p proper r maintenance Ventilation Ventilation All All open burning devices including na natural ural gas heaters kerosene room heaters charcoal grills fireplaces and wood burning stoves use oxygen to support combustion Unless air is piped in from outdoors this oxygen supply is taken from room air which is is' also the only air available for you to breathe All combustion also creates carbon monoxide a deadly gas because it inhibits the ability of blood to carry oxygen For this reason it is essential that permanent heating appliances be properly proper proper- prop properly rIy r- r ly Iy vented and exhausted When portable fuel-burning fuel heaters are used windows must be opened to avoid suf suf- Mark Carson a fire inspector tor says that very few fires are ate unpreventable Most occur because of some human error Faulty installation reckless use and improper maintenance maintenance maintenance main main- of heating equipment equipment equipment equip equip- ment are major cau causes es of winter fires 1 10 2 t iJ r r it t I h. h S f. f t t jt t 40 |
