Welcome to CPSC’s Podcast for Friday, December 7, 2007. I’m Patty Davis.

Winter weather and its freezing temperatures are here in much of the United States. As you try to stay warm, you should know that December, January and February are the most dangerous months for home fires. Heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fires are more likely to start in chimneys or chimney connectors, but fires involving space heaters are the most deadly. The peak time for home heating fires is 6 to 9 at night.

If you’re using a space heater, make sure it’s at least three feet away from bedding, curtains, furniture, or other flammable materials.

Never go to sleep with the space heater turned on. Make sure you turn it off whenever you leave the room.

Electric space heaters now have a switch that turns the heater off if it tips over to prevent a fire hazard. Older space heaters may not have that safeguard.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a hazard in the winter months.

Make sure you have a professional inspection of all fuel-burning heating systems every year to guard against carbon monoxide. The inspection should include furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues and vents.

Have your flue and chimney inspected to check if the chimney is cracked, blocked or coated with creosote. And use a fire screen so embers and sparks stay in the fireplace. Keep the fireplace damper open until all ashes are cool.

Protect your family by installing smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom, and outside each sleeping area.

When it comes to carbon monoxide alarms, put one outside each sleeping area.

And make sure the alarms have working batteries.

You can find more home heating safety tips, as well as information about recalls announced by CPSC at www.cpsc.gov.

That’s it for this week’s podcast. Thanks for listening.

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