​Stay warm and safe by following our guidelines on using home heating sources properly

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Staying safe

Heating your home, especially during colder months, can be dangerous if not done safely. Each year, fires caused by heating appliances lead to injuries and fatalities. Stay warm and safe by following our helpful guides on home heating sources.

Power cuts

• Power cuts often lead to an increase in house fires caused by the unsafe use of candles, oil lamps, and tea lights. If a fire starts, the darkness and smoke can make escaping much harder.
• Keep torches and spare batteries in an easily accessible place for emergencies.
• Wind-up torches are a great option as they are safe, inexpensive, and never run out of power.
• Have an escape plan in place so everyone knows how to get out, even in a dark, smoke-filled room.

Fires and stoves that heat water

• In cold weather, the pipes supplying water to stoves and back boilers in open fires can freeze, especially if they haven’t been used for a few days.
• Lighting a stove or fire while the pipes are frozen can cause pressure to build up, potentially leading to an explosion that could send burning fuel and metal shards into the room.
• To check if the pipes are frozen, simply run the hot tap before lighting the fire. If no water flows, do not light your stove or fire. Instead, contact a heating engineer to safely defrost the pipes.