Winter in the far north is beautiful, but it is also the season when homes work hardest. Furnaces run for months, wood stoves glow late into the night, extra lighting and electric heaters fill the long evenings and holiday decorations add warmth to every room. All of this comfort brings added fire risk. With a few smart habits and the right equipment, you can enjoy a cosy winter with complete peace of mind.
Start With Working Alarms
Smoke alarms are the most important fire safety devices in any home. Install them inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level, including the basement. Interconnected alarms are the gold standard, because when one sounds, they all sound, giving everyone in the house the earliest possible warning, even behind closed doors.
Carbon monoxide alarms are equally essential in cold climates. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odourless gas produced by fuel burning appliances such as furnaces, boilers, wood stoves, gas ranges and generators. Place alarms near sleeping areas and on every level of the home. Test all alarms monthly, replace batteries as recommended and replace the alarms themselves when they reach the end of their service life, which is printed on the back of each unit.
Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
Wood stoves are a cherished part of life in Alaska, but they require respect. Creosote, a sticky, flammable residue, builds up inside chimneys and stovepipes as wood burns, especially when wood is damp or fires burn slowly. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned at least once a year, ideally before the heating season begins.
- Burn only dry, seasoned wood, and never burn trash, cardboard or treated lumber.
- Keep a non combustible floor protector beneath and in front of the stove.
- Maintain proper clearance between the stove, stovepipe and nearby walls or furniture.
- Use a sturdy screen or closed door to keep embers inside.
- Place cooled ashes in a covered metal container stored outdoors, away from the house.
Give every heat source a generous clear space. Furniture, curtains, boots, firewood, laundry and holiday decorations should never be stored close to stoves, heaters or furnaces.
Use Space Heaters Wisely
Portable heaters are handy for chilly corners, but they are a leading cause of home heating fires. Choose models with automatic tip over and overheat shut off, plug them directly into a wall outlet rather than an extension cord and keep them well away from anything that can burn. Turn heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep, and never use them to dry clothing or thaw pipes.
Thaw Frozen Pipes Safely
When pipes freeze, it can be tempting to reach for a torch or open flame. This is extremely dangerous and has caused many house fires. Instead, use a hair dryer, a heat lamp or a properly rated heating tape, and call a professional if you cannot locate or safely reach the frozen section. Better still, prevent freezing by insulating exposed pipes, sealing drafts and keeping the home adequately heated even when you are away.
Keep the Furnace and Boiler Healthy
Your heating system runs for much of the year, so annual servicing is essential. A qualified technician will check burners, heat exchangers, venting and safety controls, replace filters and confirm that combustion gases are safely leaving your home. Keep the area around the furnace clear of storage, and make sure exterior vents and flues are not blocked by snow or ice after storms.
Electrical Safety in the Dark Months
Long winter nights mean more lighting, more appliances and more extension cords. Overloaded circuits, damaged cords and outdated wiring can all start fires inside walls. Replace frayed cords, avoid running cords under rugs, use outdoor rated lights and cords outside and never overload outlets. If breakers trip frequently, lights flicker or outlets feel warm, call a licensed electrician. Arc fault and ground fault protection add valuable safety, especially in older homes.
Plan Your Escape
A fire escape plan is especially important in winter, when heavy clothing, snow and ice can slow you down. Identify two ways out of every room, make sure windows open easily and are not frozen shut, and keep paths to exits clear. Choose a meeting place outside and practise your plan with everyone in the household, including how to stay warm once outside. Keep boots and coats near exits during the coldest months.
Have the Right Equipment on Hand
Keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher in the kitchen, near the wood stove, in the garage and on each level of the home, and make sure everyone knows how to use one. A fire blanket in the kitchen is useful for small cooking fires. Escape ladders are worth considering for upper floor bedrooms.
Keep Exterior Areas Safe
Fire safety extends outdoors too. Store firewood away from the house, keep propane tanks and generators clear of snow and well away from windows and doors and never run a generator indoors or in an attached garage. Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the road so emergency services can find you quickly, even in heavy snow.
Let Epik Home Style Help
At Epik Home Style, our Fire Safety service includes interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide alarm installation, electrical safety upgrades, wood stove hearth and clearance improvements and practical advice tailored to northern homes. Contact our team to schedule a home safety review before the next cold snap.
