Many Fall House Fires Caused by Heaters

It's that time of year when heaters around Alaska start firing up after their summer vacation.

Unfortunately people think that if the heat is on everything is fine," said Bruce Mills, owner of Best Plumbing and Heating. "You've got gas lines in here, a massive amount of heat. If you cause explosions, fire comes quickly."

But Mills doesn't get to work on as many furnaces as he'd like to.

"Out of sight out of mind," he said. "'Gee we have heat we're just fine.'"

After months of sitting un-used and then an entire winter's worth of use before that, your furnace may be a danger you don't even notice.

"This is a time of year, when it starts getting chilly that we start having fires like that," said Bridget Bushue with the Anchorage Fire Department.

The fire department says things stacked in front of heaters spark many of the fires.

"I've found that they have cardboard boxes in front of flames," Mills said. "You have got to stay away from that. And you just have to make sure that your furnace is clean and proper for the year's use."

Mills says he's worked on many furnaces that haven't been professionally checked for many years. Even if there isn't anything flammable nearby, they can still pose a big danger. If the vents in your furnace begin to block it can cause the

But if kept in good condition they are more efficient, will save you money and last for a long time.

"Mine's been in here almost 40 years and as long as you keep them clean you take care of them, you maintain them they do just fine," Mills said.

He recommends you use a licensed and reputable technician and have your heater checked every year. Or if you have a new system it can be once every two years.

In addition to saving money and reducing fire danger, a technician will also be able to detect and fix any carbon monoxide leaks, which can be very dangerous.

October is fire prevention month, firefighters want you to not only get your heater taken care of, but also make sure all of your smoke detectors are working and have fresh batteries.

To contact the Newsroom, call 907-274-1111.