Winter is on its way and it’s time for you to get your home heating systems ready. Especially in a region where temperatures can get bitterly cold, it almost becomes unbearable for people to be home without having the heater on. In Pakistan, the majority of households still use gas heaters while others have switched to a home heating system that runs on electricity, which is relatively a new technology. Regardless of your choice of home heating system, using it cautiously can prevent deadly incidents from happening. So, to help you enjoy a safe and warm winter, we have jotted down a list of important safety tips for using heaters in this blog.
Some Important Safety Tips for Using Heaters
Here are some precautionary measures you need to take to keep your home safely warm during the winter season.
- Run a Safety Pre-Check on Your Heating Appliance
- Check For Electric/Gas Supply
- Keep Your Children Away From Heating Appliances
- Avoid Running The Heaters In Your Home Unattended
- Position Your Heater Near A Fire Alarm
Let’s discuss these home heating safety tips in detail.
Run a Safety Pre-Check on Your Heating Appliance
Are you using your heater for the first time in months? Many of us switch it on without giving it a second thought, which can be hazardous. Instead, there are a few things that you need to check your heating equipment before putting it back in use. If it is a gas heater, make sure that the gas is not leaking from anywhere. For electric heaters, double-check all the electrical connections, just to be sure that you are not prone to any safety hazard.
Moreover, dust usually settles on the heating component when they are not in use. So, when you turn it on, the settled dust also starts burning off, leaving an unpleasant smell indoors. To avoid such a situation, try making your heater dust-free before using it. Calling in the professionals to run a thorough check-up on your heating appliances might be in your best interest.
Pro Tip: Getting your heating appliance serviced at least once a year is one of the primary home heating safety tips.
Check for Electric/Gas Supply
One of the primary safety tips for using heaters in your home is to check whether it is getting proper electric/gas supply or not. The best way to do that is to check your device’s metre. In case you spot any issue, notify your utility supplier in advance and get the issue fixed.
Note: Broken or damaged electric wires and gas pipes can be disastrous, especially when your heating unit is running.
Keep Your Children Away from Heating Appliances
Do you have children at home? Want to make them feel warm and cosy when they are home all winter long? The safest way to go about it is to keep the little ones away from the heating appliances, especially when they are running. Children have curious minds, they usually explore and play with things that are new to them. However, you would never want your little ones to play with a heater. Heaters are placed in a living room or a bedroom in most of the households and theses places are easily accessible by children. In such cases, never leave your kids unmonitored particularly when the home heating system is turned on.
Pro Tip: Ideally, you should have at least 3 feet of “Kids Free Zone” around the heater in your home
Avoid Running the Heater in Your Home Unattended
Running your heater unattended or overnight while you sleep can be deadly. What if the heater catches fire? Or the flame of a gas heater goes out because of which an excessive amount of gas fills up the air. These types of incidents can be proven fatal, which means one of the key safety tips for using heaters is to never leave them on overnight or unmonitored.
Position Your Heater Near A Fire Alarm
Fire incidents can happen anywhere, but they can be prevented if you take the necessary precautions. What could be better than having a fire alarm installed in your home? It will be in your best interest to have your fire alarm and home heating equipment in the same room. The fire alarm goes off and timely warns people if it detects fire and other smoke components in the air.
Safety Tip: If the fire erupts in your home heating system, try switching it off first. If you are unable to do so, open the doors and windows and leave the vicinity at once.
These were some safety tips for using heaters to keep your home delightfully warm during winters. If you have anything useful to share in this regard, feel free to email your suggestions at blog@zameen.com.
In case you are preparing your home for winter, then you can take a look at some of our budget-friendly winter home décor ideas.
To read more of our home improvement and safety tips, head over to Zameen Blog, Pakistan’s best lifestyle blog. Also, get the latest updates from our blog section on a daily basis by subscribing to our newsletter.
