By Kelly Doran
Sun staff
As the temperatures drop, many people turn to alternate forms of heating to stay warm, which if not properly used, can cause fires.
“Our responses [to fires] are directly proportional to the temperature,” Village of Batavia Fire Chief Kevin Riley said.
The most important thing homeowners can do is make sure that they have a working smoke detector. Batavia firefighters still respond to calls from homes that don’t have a smoke detector, Riley said.
Riley said many of the fire departments in Clermont County, including the village, have smoke detectors to give away to homeowners. He encourages those without one to call their fire department.
Homeowners that have an open flame of any kind should make sure they have a carbon monoxide detector, said Union Township Fire Chief Stanley Deimling.
“You can’t see, smell, hear, or taste carbon monoxide,” Diemling said. Without a detector, residents will not know they are being poisoned by carbon monoxide until everyone is sick, he said. He sees an increase in carbon monoxide poisoning in the winter months because alternate forms of heating are being use and because residents keep their houses closed up.
Even starting a car and letting it run for a few minutes in a garage can create carbon monoxide issues, said Miami Township Fire Chief Steve Kelly.
Kelly has seen two cases where families had carbon monoxide in their home so far this year, and in one case the family did not have a detector and the husband and wife both had to go to the hospital.
Many of the other winter fires begin because people are unaware of or neglectful of proper maintenance.
“If you’re going to use an alternate form of heating make sure its installed properly and maintained and kept up,” Kelly said.
Chimneys for fireplaces and wood burning stoves need to be cleaned by a chimney sweep every year, Riley said, which many don’t realize.
In addition, homeowners should make sure that chimneys are vented properly, Kelly said. Chimneys that are not vented properly can cause a chimney fire and even cause fire damage to other places in the home, like the ceiling of one home Miami Township responded to.
Furnaces also need to be maintained and serviced according to the manufacturer’s instructions, Deimling said.
Space heaters are also a source of carbon monoxide, Kelly said. However, even space heaters with a plug can start a fire if it is close enough to flammable material, like a blanket or curtains.
Homeowners should be cautious not to leave space heaters on overnight, as they can overheat, and make sure that heaters are not in a place where a pet could knock it over, Kelly said.
Space heaters, especially kerosene heater, should be placed at a minimum four feet away from any combustible material, Riley said. Homeowners also need to make sure they use the right fuel for the space heater.
“If you’re not sure, if you have questions, I would just recommend people get a hold of their local fire department,” Kelly said.