NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Fire officials in the Middle Tennessee area are warning residents after an increase in home fires sparked by switching from the air conditioning to the heat. They call this their “busy season” when the weather gets cooler.
Charred walls and caved-in ceilings were left of the homes that caught fire over the last few weeks. While the cause of the home fires is still under investigation, crews said the issues with heating systems are often to blame this time of year.
“This is an 80% gas furnace,” explained Michael McGauran with One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning.
A furnace, mechanics say, can be used to heat around 50% of homes in Nashville, but it could be a problem if it is not maintained correctly.
“It’s typically electrical driven so overloading the circuit or even plugging in a heater where you shouldn’t have it, in a small room maybe,” said McGauran.
Both electrical and gas fires are ones McGauran said can be prevented.
“Whether it is a heat pump or a gas system, just checking all of the parts of it to make sure it is functioning properly is important,” said McGauran.
McGauran said people should get maintenance work done on a system before switching to heat.
“Make sure all of these safety pieces work correctly, so when the unit does fire up during the winter there are no issues,” said McGauran.
But it’s not just heating systems that can cause fires, McGauran said space heaters are also a big problem.
“Making sure that the outlet is big enough to support the load of the electrical appliance is probably one of the biggest issues along with leaving the appliance turned on while you walk out of the room,” said McGauran.
And although many heating elements can cause fires, experts say most can be easily prevented.
This week also happens to be fire prevention week and experts say it’s a good reminder to make sure you have a plan to get out of your home should a fire start.
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