With cold weather right around the corner, now’s the time to make sure your home is safe, as well as warm.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, an average of 45,200 home heating fires occurred each year nationwide between 2010 and 2012. Those resulted in a yearly average of 155 deaths, 625 injuries, and $351 million in property loss.
They say home heating fires are most likely to happen between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. and peaked during the month of January. Nearly 30 percent of home heating fires that weren’t confined to a chimney, fuel burner, or other area were caused by a heating source being too close to things that can burn. The U.S. Fire Administration says heating was the second leading cause of home fires following cooking.
