Why does this matter?

As the nights get colder, it is important to look for ways to keep warm like lighting the fireplace, cranking up the furnace, and turning on the space heaters. But keep in mind that fires and carbon monoxide poisoning are real risks when heating your home. These tips will help you keep your family safe and warm this winter season.

What do I need to know?

Fireplace Safety

Before you light your first fire of the season:

• Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
• Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations, and flammable materials.
• Provide proper venting systems for all heating equipment. Make sure all vent pipes extend at least three feet above the roof.
• If you have a gas fireplace, have a professional service the fireplace before your first fire of the season to ensure it is operating safely.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside and outside of sleeping areas. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.
• Also, install carbon monoxide detectors to ensure levels are safe within your home.

While enjoying your fire:

• If you have glass fireplace doors, leave them open while burning a fire to ensure complete combustion and keep creosote from building up in the chimney.
• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door.
• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire and use only seasoned hardwood. Never burn cardboard boxes, trash, charcoal, or debris in your fireplace or woodstove.
• Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.
• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate.
• Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise, you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.

Once you finish your fire:

• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house. Close the glass doors, if you have them, to keep the chimney air out of the room.
• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside of your home.

Furnace Safety

• Be sure all furnace controls and emergency shutoffs are in proper working condition. If something needs repair, call a licensed professional. Do not attempt repairs on your own, unless you are qualified.
• Inspect the walls and ceiling near the furnace and along the chimney line. If the wall is hot or discolored, additional pipe insulation or clearance may be required.
• Check the flue pipe and pipe seams to make sure they are well supported and free of holes and cracks. Soot along or around seams may be an indicator of a leak.
• Keep trash and other combustibles away from the heating system.

Portable Space Heater Safety

Read the Labels

• When buying a heater, look for one that has been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing company, such as Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL).
• Purchase a space heater with more modern safety features like those that shut off if it is tipped or turned over.

Location, Location, Location

• Keep the heater three feet away from drapes, furniture, bedding, or other flammable materials.
• Place the heater on a level surface away from areas where someone might bump into it and knock it over. Be careful to keep children and pets away from the heater.
• Try to locate electric space heaters where they can be plugged directly into the wall outlet. If you must use an extension cord, make sure it is a heavy-duty cord marked with a power rating at least as high as that on the heater label.
• Keep electric heaters away from water. Never use them near a sink or in the bathroom. Never leave a space heater unattended or running while you sleep.
• Ensure the room has enough ventilation to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Liquid Fueled Heater Tips

• For liquid-fueled heaters, follow the manufacturer’s fueling instructions using only the approved fuel. Never use gasoline! Never fill a heater that is still hot. Do not overfill the heater; you must allow for the expansion of the liquid. Only use approved containers clearly marked for the particular fuel available, and store them outdoors.
• Maintain ventilation when using kerosene heaters. Refuel kerosene heaters outside. Ensure the heater is at least three feet away from flammable objects.
• Have vented space heaters professionally inspected every year. If the heater is not vented properly, not vented at all, or if the vent is blocked, separated, rusted, or corroded, dangerous carbon monoxide levels can enter the home, causing sickness and death. Carbon monoxide also can be produced if the heater is not properly set up and adjusted for the type of gas used and the altitude at which it is installed.

Where do I start?

• Get your fireplace ready for the season, including reducing the ability for fire to enter your home.
• FEMA recommends installing spark arrestors on all chimneys, stovepipes, and vents for fuel-burning heaters. Use spark arrestors made of 12-gauge welded or woven wire mesh screen with openings 1/2 inch across.
• Every year have heating equipment and chimneys professionally cleaned and inspected.
• Keep any outdoor firewood at least 30 feet away from your home.
• Ensure your roof is free of potential fire fuel (ex: leaves, pine needles), and remove branches above the chimney, flues, or vents.
• Ensure roof-covering assemblies do not have openings that allow firebrands in.
• Make sure eaves that extend beyond exterior walls are built with fire-resistive materials.
• Cover all vent openings with a corrosion-resistant, non-combustible, 1/4 inch or smaller wire mesh or screen that prevents entry of firebrands.
• Check up your furnace.
• Follow portable heater safety tips.
• Never heat the house with an oven or oven range.

More Resources

• FLASH Plan for Power Outages.
• FEMA. Winterize Your Home.
• FEMA. How to Prepare for a Winter Storm.

Why does it matter?

Those decks and plants that brought so much joy this summer need to be protected during the winter months so they are ready to go once the temperatures begin to rise. Also, winter brings a number of guests to your door, including snow and ice. Keep walkways and driveways clear and safe as guests arrive.

Where do I start?

• If possible, move outdoor furniture, grills, toys, and other items to a covered and protected space. This will help protect these objects and make it much easier to clear snow and ice from a deck after a storm. Once the deck is clear, seal it to protect against snow, ice, rain, and other elements.
• If you have plants outside that cannot take cold weather, consider moving them indoors, bringing a little life and décor to the inside of your home. If this isn’t possible, cover plants and shrubs when temperatures are forecasted to drop below tolerable levels.
• Once all the leaves have fallen, clean your gutters of any debris, and install gutter downspout extensions a minimum of four feet from the house. This will allow melting snow and rain to flow away from your house, preventing floods.
• Turn off and drain all of your outdoor plumbing, including hose connections, pool connections, sprinkler systems, etc. After you’ve turned off the water, leave faucets in the “on” position, and remove any plastic components.
• Drain the gas from your lawnmower, and service your snowblower with a tune-up.
• Trim back tree branches near the home that might snap under accumulating snow and ice.
• Before a winter storm approaches, lay down a layer of deicing sand/salt to minimize ice buildup.
• After a winter storm, lay down layers of deicing sand/salt to melt the snow and ice. Once it begins to melt, you can chip away at the layers with a snow shovel to remove it from steps and walkways.
• Once you have finished clearing your walkways, consider helping others in your community who may need a little help.

Why does it matter?

Pipes can freeze in winter’s low temperatures. This freezing can cause major damage to your home if a pipe ruptures and leaks once it thaws.

What do I need to know?

• Water freezes when it expands, potentially causing water pipes to burst.
• Be ready to shut off the water valves if a pipe bursts.

Where do I start?

• Set your thermostat at 55 degrees or warmer.
• Open cabinet doors so heat can warm uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.
• Purchase a sump pump and know how it operates to protect the basement from water damage in case large amounts of snow begin to melt.

Foam, Dome & Drip

For as little as $1 per 6’ of insulation, you can stop pipes from freezing during winter, even when the power goes out.

Here are more ways to protect your home:

• Foam: Insulate pipes exposed to the elements or cold drafts with insulating foam.
• Dome: Place an insulating dome or other covering on outdoor faucets and spigots to reduce the likelihood of the water in your pipes freezing, expanding, and causing a costly leak.
• Drip: Drip faucets to reduce the build-up of pressure in the pipes. Even if the pipes freeze, you have released the pressure from the water system, reducing the likelihood of a rupture. If you are going out of town and suspect that temperatures will drop or a power outage will occur, turn off the water to your home and open all of the taps to drain the water system. This way, you won’t return to a frozen, soggy mess.

More Resources:

• FEMA. Winterize Your Home.
• FEMA. How to Prepare for a Winter Storm.

Foam, Dome & Drip – Affordable Ways to Protect Your Home

For as little as $1 per 6’ of insulation, you can stop pipes from freezing during winter and even when the power goes out.

1. Insulate pipes exposed to the elements or cold drafts with insulating foam. For as little as $1 per 6’ of insulation, you can stop pipes from freezing and save energy.
2. Place an insulating dome or other covering on outdoor faucets and spigots to reduce the likelihood of the water in your pipes freezing, expanding and causing a costly leak.
3. Drip faucets to reduce the build-up of pressure in the pipes. Even if the pipes freeze, you have released the pressure from the water system reducing the likelihood of a rupture. If you are going out of town, and suspect that temperatures will drop or a power outage will occur, turn off the water to your home and open all of the taps to drain the water system. This way you won’t return to a frozen, soggy mess.
4. Check for air leaks around windows and doors using a lit incense stick. If the smoke is sucked out of an opening, seal the leak with caulk, spray foam or weather stripping.

Keep Your Family Safe & Warm

5. Keep a supply of flashlights, batteries and a battery-powered radio on hand. Do not use candles as they pose a fire hazard.
6. After the power goes out, make sure to turn off all lights but one, to alert you when power resumes.
7. Resist the temptation to call 911 for information during power outages. Instead use your battery-powered radio for information.
8. Keep your car fuel tank at least half full as gas stations rely on electricity to operate their pumps and may not have back-up power.
9. Keep extra cash on hand since an extended power outage may prevent you from withdrawing money from ATMs or banks.
10. Be a volunteer snow angel. Volunteer to check on elderly neighbors, friends, or relatives who may need assistance during the outage.
11. Wear layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors.
12. If you are using a gas heater or fireplace to stay warm, be sure the area is properly ventilated.
13. Arrange ahead of time with family, friends, or neighbors for a place to go if you have an extended outage. If you have nowhere to go, head to a designated public shelter. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345)

Food

14. Keep a supply of non-perishable foods, medicine, baby supplies, and pet food on hand, and have at least one gallon of water per person per day on hand.
15. Avoid opening the fridge or freezer. Food should be safe as long as the outage lasts no more than four hours.

Generators

16. Do not run a generator inside a home or garage. Use gas-powered generators only in well-ventilated areas.
17. Follow manufacturer’s instructions such as only connect individual appliances to portable generators.
18. Don’t plug emergency generators into electric outlets or hook them directly to your home’s electrical system as they can feed electricity back into the power lines, putting you and line workers in danger.
19. Consider purchasing and installing a standby home generator with an automatic on switch.

When Power Returns

20. When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary “surges” or “spikes” that can damage equipment such as computers and motors in appliances like the air conditioner, refrigerator, washer or furnace. Be sure to install a system of surge protection that consists of point-of-use devices and whole house surge protection.
21. When power is restored, wait a few minutes before turning on major appliances to help eliminate potential problems caused from sharp increases in demand.

For more information, tips and resources for winter safety visit the FLASH Resource Library.