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

Staying safe​

Heating your home, especially during colder months, can be dangerous if not done safely. Each year, fir​es 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.

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