Household accidents: gas leaks, overheating… how to avoid the risks associated with certain types of heat?

Wood, gas, electricity… some heating devices should be used with precautions so as not to put the residents of the house at risk.

Carbon monoxide: for all combustion appliances

This is one of the main risks of household accidents in winter. Carbon monoxide poisoning affects 4000 households Annually, including 500 people in the Île-de-France. It kills hundreds of people a year.

Combustion appliances: boilers, water heaters, additions, stoves, auxiliary heaters, stoves, generators and barbecues, sometimes used indoors, the public service website states. For the latter, the site reminds that they should never be burned indoors, not even in garages or basements.

So if you use these devices, it’s important to have them check every year before turning the heat back on and checking that they are well ventilated, especially that the smoke is well evacuated for inserts and stoves. The ventilation systems of your heaters should be clean and there should be no objects that could block them in front of their openings.

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In winter, despite the low outside temperature, it is important air your home every day to renew indoor air, especially when heated by combustion devices. Maintenance of these types of heaters also includes their annual inspection professionals, be it a plumber, a chimney sweep, or a heating engineer.

Short circuit: check old appliances before winter

Although most home electrical safety systems are generally sufficient to eliminate a short circuit, they can sometimes cause household accidents such as fires or destroy related appliances. 25% house fires are caused by electrical faults.

If you notice a short circuit in one of your electrical appliances, the current in your home should jump. Turn off and unplug the device in question before reassembling your circuit breaker. If you see smoke or your device is overheating and you suspect a short circuit, turn off the power yourself to check the condition by unplugging the device.

This type of incident mostly occurs in worn-out devices, victims of wear and tear, so it is important to check them every winter before using them again. Likewise for devices stored in garages or basements, make sure they are not damaged. insects or rodents.

Overheating: monitoring and programming

Even if your devices are working properly, be careful how you use them. Sometimes, even if heaters are designed to generate a certain amount of heat, you need to check that they are not too hot for your home.

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They must be accommodated away from any accidental fuel. Overheating can cause damage to appliances and surrounding furniture, or even cause them to catch fire and start fires. Follow the care instructions and do not cover your devices. If objects are located nearby, do not forget to monitor the temperature at which you programmed them and be vigilant.

If your devices allow it, program them low temperature, but more regularly, avoid working as much as possible when you are not at home.

Fire: sweep every year

Apart from short circuits and overheating, the main triggers of fires are stoves, inserts and fireplaces. Do to prevent them have these types of heaters swept by a professional every year, you’ll also need it to properly insure your home.

Fires are one of the main risks of accidents at home 800 deaths in France. Fire events from poorly controlled or poorly identified heat sources can become uncontrollable within the first few minutes without intervention.

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Gas leaks: vigilance, ventilation and maintenance

The last risk for heating devices: gas leakage. If you use this fuel for cooking or heating, be sure to check that the system is working and unobstructed before turning it on. It has been mandatory since 2009 service your gas boiler every year, you can also request Certificate of Compliance to the person responsible for its installation.

In case of suspected gas leakage (hissing sound near the inlets, smell of gas, etc.), leave your house Turn off the gas and ventilate your home without putting yourself in danger. Do not use the telephone or any other electrical device until you are outside. Contact emergency services once outside. If possible, humidify the areas near the gas supply. There is risk of explosion, you need to get to a safe place do not create a spark.