Home Heating

Be Fire Safe When Heating Your Home

Home heating is the second leading cause of home fires in Oregon. As temperatures drop, it's important to stay warm while keeping your home safe. Whether you’re using space heaters, wood or pellet stoves, or other heating devices, be fire safe when staying warm.

This webpage has tips no matter how you heat your home to help you and your family be fire safe.

Fire Safety Tips

All Heating Types

Use heating equipment with the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
Keep things that burn such as paper, curtains, bedding, or furniture, at least three feet away from all heating equipment, including fireplaces, wood stoves, and pellet stoves.
Keep a three-foot “kid and pet-free zone" around all heating equipment.

Portable Heaters

Use portable space heaters with an automatic shut-off so if they're tipped over they turn off.
Clean them each year before using them and check for product recalls.
Unplug portable space heaters when not in use, before going to bed, and when leaving the room.
Make sure fuel-burning heaters are designed for indoor use and are properly ventilated.

Wood and Pellet Heating

(Fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves)

Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected at least once a year by a qualified professional.
In wood stoves and fireplaces, burn only dry, seasoned wood. In pellet stoves, burn only dry, seasoned pellets.
Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from escaping.
Place ashes in a metal container, soak them with water, and keep them at least 10 feet away from the home or anything that can burn. Dispose of the ash only after it is cool.