Every room in the house has
its own safety concerns, and
in the basement safety
revolves around one item
above all: your furnace.
Here's how to keep the home
fires burning, without burning
down your home, in the
process.
Schedule annual furnace
check-ups with a heating
contractor. Inspection and
preventive maintenance is
your best insurance against
problems down the road.
Maintenance not only helps
prevent fires but carbon
monoxide poisoning -
insufficient combustion
produces higher levels of this
dangerous gas.
Do routine checks of your
heating equipment on your
own. Look for rusted and
loose parts, and other signs
of deteriorations such as
water stains and leakage.
Arrange for service
immediately if you suspect
any problem. |
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If you have an old oil tank,
have a professional check it
over completely. Small
pinholes can develop after all
those years, and the only
thing preventing a leak could
be a coat of paint.
Keep the furnace clear of all
flammable substances. That
includes paint, varnish,
bleach, furniture stripper,
other chemical solvents, fuel,
and even lint from the dryer.
Overheating alone can cause
explosions. Store
combustibles in sealed
containers, in well-ventilated
areas, and out of the reach
of young children.
Soiled rags area another fire
hazard around furnaces. Rags
that have absorbed oil, paint,
glue and other chemicals can
sometimes even burst into
flames spontaneously. |
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Store them in a closed metal
container outdoors, or better
yet dispose of them entirely.
If you use the basement as a
workshop, turn off the pilot
light inside the furnace and
water heater if you plan to
work with combustibles,
including spray cans. You
can have a fire or explosion if
a flame even comes in
contact with certain fumes,
let alone with the substance
itself.
During the winter, check
your outdoor natural gas
regulator once in a while. If
it's covered with freezing
rain, ice or snow the fuel
flow into the home can
become uncontrolled. Make
sure the eavestroughs don't
drip water directly onto the
regulator or gas meter. |
