PG&E 기온이낮아짐에따른안전한주택난방권고

샌프란시스코, 캘리포니아 — 태평양가스와전기회사 (PG&E) 는캘리포니아지역의북부와중부의기온이내려갈것으로예상되어고객에게주택난방시신중을기할것을촉구합니다.

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공간히터와같은전기난방기기들은올바르게사용되거나관리되지않으면가정화재위험이있습니다. 가스오븐, 스토브및온수기와같은연료연소가전제품은제대로작동하지않을때유독가스인일산화탄소의위험을증가시킬수있습니다.

“우리고객이이번겨울을따뜻하게보내시길바랍니다. 하지만가장중요한것은안전입니다. 공간히터들은보충적인열원으로만사용되어야합니다. 공간히터들은가정의중앙난방시스템을대체하기위한것이아니며올바르게사용하지않으면심각한안전상의위험을초래할수있습니다”라고 PG&E 의지역고객담당이사, Jake Zigelman은말했습니다.

국가화재예방협회 (NFPA) 에따르면난방장비는미국의 2009년에서 2013년사이두번째주요화재요인이되고있으며연간 56,000건의화재가발생하였습니다. 이중거의절반은 12월에서 2월사이에발생하며주요원인은공간히터기이며화재를일으키는주요원인은가고, 의류, 매트리스또는침구류와같이가열될수있는물체에난방기구가너무가까이있어서발생합니다.

 

PG&E 는고객에게온도가낮아지면안전한가정난방에집중할수있도록다음과같은정보를제공합니다.

• 공간히터는러그나카페트가아닌평평하고단단한불연성표면에놓으십시오
• 공간히터에물건을놓거나옷이나신발을말리는데사용하지마십시오
• 방을떠날때나잠자리에들때공간히터를끄십시오
• 모든발화성물질을난방원으로부터최소한 3 피트이상떨어뜨려놓고, 공간히터나벽난로를사용할때아이들에게주의를주십시오
• 조리기구나스토브를가정용난방의목적으로절대사용하지마십시오
• 일산화탄소농도를확인하기위해탐지기를설치하십시오. 2011년, 모든캘리포니아의단독주택은일산화탄소탐지기설치를해야합니다. 탐지기가잠자는영역근처에설치되어있는지확인하고적어도일년에두번배터리를교체하십시오
• 난방을위해벽난로를사용할때는연소부산물이굴뚝을통해안전하게배출될수있도록연막이열려있는것확인하십시오
• 발전기, 바비큐, 프로판 히터 및 숯과 감이 위험한 수준의 일산화탄소를 발생시키는 제품을 가정 내에서 절대로 사용하지 마십시오

 

가정내에있는천연가스가전기기에이상이있다고의심되면 PG&E 1-800-743-5000 으로전화하십시오. 가스서비스담당자가파견되어철저한검사를받게됩니다. 집에서일산화탄소를감지하면즉시밖으로대비하고 911에전화하십시오

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PG&E Urges Customers to Focus on Safely Heating Their Homes as Temperatures Dip

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — With temperatures expected to drop in Northern and Central California this week,Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) urges customers to be cautious when heating their homes.

Electric heating devices, such as space heaters, are a home fire hazard when not properly used or monitored. Fuel-burning appliances, such as gas furnaces, stoves and water heaters, can increase the risk of carbon monoxide, a toxic gas, when they are not working properly.

“We want our customers to be warm this winter, but most importantly we want them to be safe. Space heaters should only be used as a supplemental source of heat. They are not intended to replace the home’s central heating system and, when not used properly, can create serious safety hazards,” said Jake Zigelman, Director of Local Customer Experience at PG&E.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires in the United States and from 2009 to 2013, accounted for 56,000 structure fires per year. Nearly half of these fires occur from December through February. The leading contributing factor to space heater fires is heating equipment too close to objects that can burn, such as furniture, clothing, mattresses or bedding.

PG&E urges customers to focus on safety heating their homes as temperatures dip and offers the following tips:

 

• Place space heaters on level, hard, nonflammable surfaces, not on rugs or carpets.
• Don’t put objects on space heaters or use them to dry clothes or shoes.
• Turn off space heaters when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Keep all flammable materials at least three feet away from heating sources and supervise children when a space heater or fireplace is being used.
• Never use cooking devices such as ovens or stoves for home heating purposes.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors to warn you if concentration levels are high. As of 2011, all California single-family homes are required to have carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure they are installed near sleeping areas and replace the batteries at least twice a year.
• When using the fireplace to stay warm, make sure the flue is open so that the byproducts of combustion can vent safely through the chimney.
• Never use products inside the home that generate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, such as generators, barbecues, propane heaters and charcoal.

 

If customers suspect there is a problem with a natural gas appliance inside their home, they should call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. A gas service representative will be dispatched to do a thorough inspection. If you detect carbon monoxide in your home, you should get out immediately and call 911.