Heat Your Home Safely

According to the Philadelphia Fire Department, heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires during the months of December through February. Are you heating your home safely?

If you are unsure whether your heat source is safe, call 3-1-1 or visit the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections online to request an inspection. 

If you rent and do not have heat, contact your building manager. If your heat does not come back on within a reasonable time, call 3-1-1.

To heat your home safely, take the following precautions:

• Turn your heat on before the winter and make sure it's working. Continue to inspect and maintain your heating equipment regularly.
• Furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and even clothes dryers should be working properly and ventilated to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Inspect any chimneys and fireplaces in your home before use. 
• Keep a three-foot clearance between heating equipment and anything that can burn.
• If you use space heaters, they should have labels listing a recognized testing laboratory.
• Turn off space heaters every time you leave the room and before going to bed.
• Choose space heaters that turn off automatically if they tip over.
• Never use a space heater to dry clothing.
• Do not use your oven or stove burners to heat your home.
• Install smoke alarms on every level and near every sleeping area of your home.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors within 15 feet of each sleeping area to avoid risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Test both your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector monthly.

Find additional tips to prepare for the winter on the Winter Preparedness page of the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management website.