THE REGION IN WINTER — “While saving money is important, safety must remain a priority,” writes John Hauschild, the fire coordinator for the Sullivan County Bureau of Fire. “Portable space heaters should be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn, plugged directly into a wall outlet and turned off when leaving the room or going to bed. Furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces and wood stoves should be inspected and maintained regularly.”

He offers tips, both the safety-focused ones here and more generally in the main article on page 15. 

Keep in mind too that if you wish to install a wood stove or something similar, check first with your local code enforcement officer and your homeowner’s-insurance broker. 

Use your thermostat wisely

Lower the temperature a few degrees when sleeping or away from home.

Use extra blankets and warm sleepwear at night.

Consider a programmable thermostat to avoid heating an empty home unnecessarily.

Keep the temperature high enough to protect plumbing from freezing.

Portable electric space heaters

Keep heaters at least three feet away from furniture, bedding, curtains and anything combustible.

Plug electric heaters directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip.

Turn heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

Never leave children or pets unattended around a heater.

Wood stoves and fireplaces

Have chimneys and heating equipment inspected and cleaned annually.

Burn only appropriate, seasoned firewood.

Use a fireplace screen and keep combustible materials away.

Place cooled-looking ashes in a covered metal container outdoors, away from buildings.

Install working carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas.

Never use an oven, gas range, charcoal grill or outdoor propane heater to heat a home.

Never operate a generator indoors or in an attached garage.

If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside immediately and call 911 from a safe location.