EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — With the arrival of some colder winter weather this week, the El Paso Fire Department had some common-sense tips to stay safe while heating your home.
Lt. Juan Acuna, with the El Paso Fire Department, said you should never use a fire grill or stove to heat your home because of the danger of carbon monoxide.
If you need to use a space heater, Acuna said the most important thing is to buy it from a store and not second-hand.
You should make sure that any space heater you buy has been tested by a laboratory or certified testing company, he said.
When you set it up, make sure it is at least 3 feet away from anything that can catch fire, Acuna said.
Also, keep space heaters away from children and pets, he said.
A key safety feature is to buy a space heater that has an automatic shutoff feature if it tips over.
Also, make sure you plug it directly into a wall and not an extension cord, Acuna said.
A space heater can overload an extension cord, he said.
When you go to sleep, you need to turn your space heater off and not use it at night when have gone to bed, he added.
Finally, make sure that you never block your exit from a room or your home with a space heater.
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