Planning backup heating – safe rather than improvised

Every combustion – whether wood, gas, paraffin or charcoal – needs oxygen and produces exhaust gases. When burning is complete, it mainly produces carbon dioxide and water vapour. If air is lacking, the fuel is damp or the appliance is dirty, more carbon monoxide is produced. When breathed in, the gas enters the blood and pushes out the oxygen there, because it binds much more firmly to the red blood cells. The body then suffocates from the inside, so to speak, even though you are breathing normally.

Heating with fire is only safe if the exhaust is reliably led outside – through an inspected chimney or an approved flue – and if the appliance gets enough combustion air. That is why stoves and gas appliances are not DIY projects: connection, clearance from flammable materials and air supply are planned and checked by professionals.

A second, often overlooked point: many modern central heating systems need electricity for the pump, controls and ignition. If the power goes, the heating goes with it, even if there is still gas, oil or pellets. Knowing this lets you talk to a professional about solutions in good time.

Carbon monoxide poisoning often feels like flu at first: headache, dizziness, nausea, tiredness, confusion. An important warning sign is when several people in the same room – or pets – have such symptoms at the same time, and when they get better outside. Then get everyone outside immediately, do not go back for anything, and call the local emergency number (112 in the EU).

A carbon monoxide alarm is the only reliable warning, because your nose notices nothing. It belongs in rooms with stoves or fireplaces and near sleeping areas. A smoke alarm does not replace it – it detects smoke, not CO. Test alarms regularly and note the replacement date given by the manufacturer, because sensors age too.

If you smell gas: do not operate light switches or doorbells, no flames, open windows, leave the building and call the emergency service from outside. Electric heaters need clearance from curtains, beds and furniture, must not be covered and must not be run through multi-socket adapters or cable reels – they draw a lot of current and cables can get hot.

Good planning starts with an honest review: how do I heat, and does it work without electricity? Is there a chimney connection that may be used? Has the stove been approved, and is the chimney regularly inspected and swept? If anything is unclear, ask the heating business or the responsible chimney sweep instead of guessing.

Which appliances are allowed indoors varies by region. This concerns, for example, gas or paraffin heaters without a flue. So: read the manufacturer's information and check local rules. An appliance marked “for outdoor use” stays outdoors – even if it is supposed to be “just for a moment”.

Fuel is part of safety too. Firewood is stored dry and away from the stove. Liquid fuels go only into approved containers and not into living areas, as locally permitted. Substitute fuels or accelerants are off-limits.

Not every home can have a stove, and that is fine. Passive measures hold on to a surprising amount of heat and carry no risk at all. Choose the smallest possible room as a warm room, ideally on the sunny side, close the doors to unused rooms and seal draughts without closing vents that belong to stoves or fireplaces.

Your body itself is a heat source. Several layers of clothing, a hat, warm socks, warm drinks from a flask and a sleeping bag in bed hold that heat in. Close curtains and blinds at night and let the sun in during the day. Airing briefly several times a day is still important.

If the home becomes dangerously cold – especially for babies, older or ill people – it is wise to use outside help: neighbours, family or warming centres that authorities often set up in such situations. Follow official information on the radio or official channels.

The most dangerous mistakes come from cold and desperation: a charcoal grill is “only glowing now”, a generator is “only in the garage”, a gas stove is meant to “warm the kitchen for a moment”. Glowing charcoal in particular produces a lot of carbon monoxide, and from garages the gas spreads into adjoining rooms. The principle is simple and has no exceptions: outdoor combustion appliances stay outdoors, away from windows, doors and vents.

Another common mistake is a wood stove that has not been inspected for years. Soot and tar in the chimney can catch fire, and a blocked flue pushes exhaust back into the room. That is why inspection and sweeping are part of the plan, just like a working CO alarm. If you plan beforehand, you do not have to improvise in an emergency.