UNDATED—(AVC News)–As the temperatures drop, home heating and home heating safety, becomes more and more critical.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Winter Fuels Outlook, prices for the upcoming the winter heating season, predicts electrical costs to rise about 4% this winter, while heating oil costs are expected to increase 21%.
It’s not all bad news as the outlook predicts natural gas prices to drop about 4%, as well as a decrease in propane by about 3%.
Unfortunately, we are entering the time of year in which there is an increase in home heating fires.
The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) reports that fire departments responded to an estimated average of 37,365 fires involving heating equipment annually between 2020-2024.
These fires resulted in an estimated yearly death toll of 417 while injuring 1,260.
In addition, during this period, nearly half of all fires occurring between December and February were related to home heating equipment.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), space heaters are most often responsible for home heating fires. F
The NFPA reports that between 2020 and 2024:
- Space heaters and heating stoves were the type of heating equipment responsible for the largest shares of losses in home heating equipment fires, accounting for nearly a third (30%) of the fires, but over seven out of ten deaths (73%) and seven out of ten (70%) of the injuries in home fires caused by heating equipment.
- Fires originating in a kitchen or cooking area accounted for the largest share of home heating fires (19%).
- While the larger (non-confined) fires involving fireplaces or chimneys were involved in fewer than one in ten fires caused by heating equipment (6%), they caused nearly one-fifth of the direct property damage (19%).
General Home Heating Safety Tips
• Keep anything that can burn at least three-feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central
heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be
cool before putting them in a metal container and discard them safely outdoors.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month and invest in at least one home fire extinguisher/fire blanket.
Electrical Heater Checklist
• Purchase a heater with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory.
• Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including people.
• Choose a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection.
• Place the heater on a solid, flat surface. Never on a rug or other flammable surface.
• Make sure your heater has an auto shut-off to turn the heater off if it tips over.
• Keep space heaters out of the way of foot traffic. Never block an exit from a room.
• Keep children away from the space heater.
• Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet. Never use an extension cord.
• Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to bed
Kerosene Heaters
Heating your house with a portable kerosene heater is generally considered safe only for temporary emergency use, provided you follow strict safety protocols and ensure constant ventilation. Because un-vented kerosene heaters release combustion gases directly into your living space, using them for extended periods or without a fresh air supply can lead to severe health hazards, poor air quality, and fire risks.
Kerosene heaters consume oxygen as they burn. If used in an enclosed room, a lack of oxygen causes incomplete combustion, which produces carbon monoxide—a deadly, odorless, and invisible gas.
Beyond CO, burning kerosene releases carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. These fumes can cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea, and are especially dangerous for pregnant women, asthmatics, the elderly, and young children.
Special Mention: Using the oven for heating
Ovens= Major Risks and Hazards
Running an oven for extended periods—especially with the door open—can burn out internal heating elements, melt plastic control knobs, and overheat surrounding cabinetry.
In addition, electric ovens draw massive amounts of power. Continuous high-draw usage can overload household wiring and trip breakers or cause electrical fires, not to mention adding to your electric bill.
Also, for gas ovens, there is the additional dander of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Using a gas oven or gas range for space heating can release lethal carbon monoxide (CO) and deplete oxygen levels in your home, which can be fatal.
Fireplace and Wood Stove Safety
• Chimneys: Sweep and inspect chimneys annually before lighting your first fire.
• Screens: Use a sturdy metal mesh or glass screen to block flying sparks and embers.
• Ash Disposal: Let ashes cool completely, then store them in a covered metal container placed at least 10 feet away from your home
Finally; A Word About Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
• Alarms: Install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors on every level of your home and outside every sleeping area.
• Testing: Test all alarms monthly and replace standard batteries once a year (or use units with 10-year sealed batteries).
• CO Warning Signs: Watch for carbon monoxide symptoms like headaches, dizziness, weakness, and nausea. If your CO alarm sounds or you smell gas, leave the home immediately and call 911 or your local gas utility.
Financial Assistance
As a reminder, there is financial assistance available to help with home heating
Major Home Heating Programs in Ohio
• Home Energy Assistance Program (Regular HEAP): Provides a one-time annual credit applied directly to your main utility or bulk fuel bill. Available to households with gross income at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines. A disconnection notice is not required to apply.
• HEAP Winter Crisis Program: Opens November 1 and helps Ohioans whose heating service is disconnected, threatened with disconnection, or who have 25% or less bulk fuel (like propane, wood, or heating oil) remaining in their tanks.
• Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP Plus): A year-round plan that lets eligible customers pay a set percentage of their monthly household income (5% to 10%) toward their electric and gas bills. Consistently making 24 on-time monthly payments can eliminate past balances.
• Special Winter Reconnect Order: Issued by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, running from October 12 through April 16, allowing customers of PUCO-regulated utilities to reconnect or maintain service for no more than $175 plus a re connection fee (maximum $36).
