Heater use spark fire risks

Many people look for ways to heat up their homes when temperatures begin to drop. But a quick way to get warm could potentially be a quick way to burn down a home. One of the most hazardous pieces of equipment are space heaters. According to the Electric Safety Foundation International, heating equipment is the second leading source of house fires in the U.S. The organization stated portable heaters work but also pose fire risks. A few tips, E.S.F.I said to follow are never leave a space heater on when leaving the room, do not use it to warm up any flammable items like clothing or blankets and make sure to place the heater on nonflammable material like metal. A captain with Cal Fire said in the past, fireplaces posed a major risk to some residents and still can. “We did have a rash of houses that would catch on fire because people would load the fireplaces a little too much and that would cause the heat to go out in the framing of the house and catch it on fire,” said Cal Fire Cpt. Lucas Spelman. Spelman said the majority of calls during the winter months stem from heat sources like candles, space heaters and fireplaces. Spelman said the best way to avoid a fire is to have fireplaces, heaters and the carbon monoxide detector tested and serviced. For one Palm Desert business, those type of service calls are nonstop. “We are probably at 30,40, 50 calls,” said Leland Berliner, President of All Valley BBQ and Fireplaces. “During the whole week we are at 100 calls. It’s incredible.” Another option Spelman said, is to switch a wood burning fireplace to natural gas for a safer alternative.