HVAC Safety Tips You Need to Know

Winter has officially arrived in Fort Lauderdale, leaving you no choice but to run the heater at its highest setting to keep your home comfortable. Are you confident your furnace, space heater, fireplace and other heating devices are safe? While essential for staying warm, heating equipment can be risky if not used and maintained appropriately. Check out some vital heating system safety tips to ensure a warm and safe winter.

Knowing the Risks

Because homes rely heavily on heating systems during colder months, home fires and heating-related accidents spike this time of year. A few common risks include:

Candles and holiday decorations: Winter celebrations typically include decorative lights and candles. Even though these items make the long winter nights more inviting, they can become fire hazards if left unattended or placed near flammable materials.

Generators: Relying on a generator during an electricity outage is a helpful backup plan. However, using them incorrectly can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, electrical shocks and fires. Make sure these appliances are set up outside and far from windows or doors.

Heating appliances: Space heaters, furnaces and fireplaces contribute significantly to home fires during the colder months. Even though designed to operate safely, these devices can become dangerous if they are outdated, malfunctioning or improperly used.

Poor ventilation: Insufficient ventilation can result in dangerous carbon monoxide buildup, especially from natural gas, propane or oil heaters.

Old wiring: Older homes with obsolete electrical systems may encounter difficulties from the demands of contemporary heating appliances. When overloaded, the wiring may overheat, increasing the likelihood of electrical fires.

Wrong use of heating equipment: Using equipment for unintended purposes, like firing up the oven to heat your home, or draping wet socks over a space heater, can be dangerous.

General Safeguards

Observe these safety guidelines in the winter and throughout the year to keep your residence and family safe:

Gas leaks: If you notice an inexplicable rotten egg smell, it could be a gas leak. For your protection, act immediately—open windows and doors to air out the building, evacuate the area and contact your local gas company and fire department.

Combustible items: Make sure to place anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating sources like furnaces, fireplaces and portable space heaters.

Children’s safety: Teach your youngest family members about the dangers of matches, candles and heating products. After that, establish a “kid-free zone” near open flames and heaters to prevent accidents. 

Electrical safety: Avoid plugging heating appliances into extension cords or power strips. Additionally, plug only one high-power-draw device into an electrical outlet at a time. These tips help avoid electrical overloads, which can cause overheating and fires.

Candle safety: Carefully supervise lit candles and blow them out before walking out of the room or going to sleep.

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms: Keep these devices throughout your home, especially right outside sleeping areas and test them every month.

Specific Heating Equipment Tips

Here are several heating system safety tricks to keep in mind this winter:

Professional setup: Because a bad setup can increase the risk of fire, carbon monoxide poisoning and electrical shock, you should always leave furnace installation to a trained service pro. You’ll get peace of mind for a long time, knowing your equipment is operating the way it is supposed to.

Scheduled maintenance: Yearly inspections of your heating equipment and chimneys by well-qualified professionals can uncover hidden concerns that might not be visible to the untrained eye. These inspections can detect worn-out parts, ventilation issues and potential gas leaks. Regular maintenance also ensures optimum efficiency and lengthens your system’s life span.

Space heaters: You shouldn’t ever allow space heaters to run unattended or while you’re in bed. Position these devices on a stable, non-flammable surface and keep anything that could catch fire away from the front, back and sides of the unit.

Fireplaces: Put a metal screen in front of the fireplace to keep sparks from getting out and igniting nearby materials. Blow out the flames before leaving home or sleeping. Once it has totally cooled, put the ashes in a metal container and store them outside a safe distance from your house.

Call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for Heating Service in Fort Lauderdale

As the winter season intensifies, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is ready to protect your comfort and safety. Our ACE-certified technicians supply fast, long-lasting solutions for all your heating needs, with services backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not thrilled with our work, you can depend on us to make it right. In addition to our technical expertise, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is very involved in the local communities we serve and remain dedicated to innovation and customer engagement. For assistance staying warm this winter, call 954-736-4314 today to arrange an appointment with Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning.