While we have been enjoying a rather mild fall season to date, there is little doubt that our furnaces will be soon working hard to keep our homes warm as we move into colder temperatures. With this certainty, we’ll want to make sure we can keep our children and pets safe from any harm that could arise with heating equipment or appliances in our living spaces.
Even though forced hot air and hot water baseboard radiator systems are some of the safest and most comfortable choices for heating your home, care must be used when it comes to small children as well as puppies and kittens. Radiators can get very hot and can be used by toddlers to hold onto when standing or playing. To avoid accidents, move any toy boxes or play areas to a safe distance from radiators and install a sturdy fireplace screen or other borders that will prevent touching by curious children and pets.
Drapes should not hang down to touch radiators. While they may not cause a fire, hot water or steam radiators can melt synthetic fibres or cause burns to other materials and will impede heat circulation.
If you have a fireplace or gas insert, make sure it is protected by a screen that is far enough away from the heat source to keep everyone safe from an inadvertent touch.
Electric or oil space heaters are often used in colder areas of the home to supplement main heating. Particular care must be taken so these appliances are not within the reach of small children and inquisitive pets. They should also be constantly monitored and only used when responsible adults are in the same room. If space heating is necessary, a ceramic-type heater should be considered for its convection design and timer and shutoff features that can prevent burning or scalding.
Rooms or areas where furnaces and water heaters are located should be restricted to prevent access from anyone young enough to be harmed from fuel, electricity, burners, hot pipes or other equipment.
Forced air vents should be kept clean and clear of any obstructions. Furnace filters should be checked and replaced regularly to keep circulating air as clean and healthy as possible. Also, don’t forget to make sure smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order and have fresh batteries.
These are just some of the ways you may consider to help keep you and your family as safe as possible during the heating months ahead. At Scotia Fuels, we always have our customers’ best interests in mind.
Not yet a Scotia Fuels customer? Contact us at https://scotiafuels.com/contact-us/ or better still, call us at 902-453-2121. We’d love to hear from you.