Safe Stove: Simple Rules from Rescuers

With the onset of cold weather, citizens living in private houses begin to consider what a safe heating stove should be. Stove equipment is an object of increased fire hazard. Fires related to malfunctions or improper operation of stoves lead to significant material damage, and people often die in such fires. To avoid trouble, it is sufficient to follow these simple safety rules:

- in severe frosts, it is recommended to heat the stove two to three times a day for no more than one and a half hours. This will help avoid overheating;
- there should be no cracks or gaps in the stove, and the chimney should have good draft and be whitewashed with lime solution. This is done so that any cracks appearing over time can be noticed against the white background;
- during the heating season, clean the chimney from soot at least once every 2 months;
- the stove and chimney at the points of connection with wooden ceilings should have a thickening of brickwork or a separation;
- to prevent accidentally fallen burning coals from causing a fire, nail a metal sheet measuring at least 50x70 cm to the wooden floor in front of the stove. It can be made of non-combustible brick;
- under no circumstances use flammable and combustible liquids when lighting the stove;
- do not leave the stove doors open and the burning stove unattended – this is a direct path to a fire;
- keep clothing, furniture, firewood, and other combustible materials at least one and a half meters away from the stove;
- dispose of ash and burnt coals at least 15 meters away from buildings;
- do not leave the burning stove unattended and do not allow children to light it on their own.

Another significant danger during the operation of heating equipment is the invisible enemy – carbon monoxide. When using gas water heaters or stoves, it is important to remember that carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. It is produced during any type of combustion and is also present in exhaust gases. The first sign is that a person begins to feel a headache and suffocation. At high concentrations, loss of consciousness and paralysis occur. If the concentration of gas in the air exceeds 1.2%, a person can die within seconds.

To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, remember that you should not prematurely close the stove damper, i.e., until the coals are completely burnt out. At the same time, the stove should be heated at least two hours before going to bed.