Down in the depths of your basement, where barely a sliver of outside light ever reaches, is the furnace room – one of the most neglected and underappreciated rooms in your house. Despite it being out of sight and out of mind most days of the year, furnace rooms house vital equipment that, should it be neglected or malfunction, can pose a serious threat to your safety.

Here are 5 safety tips to consider to keep your home safe

Ventilate and make space
Furnaces and hot water heaters are powered by electricity or fuels like oil, propane or natural gas, so it’s important that there’s enough space for proper ventilation – as well as maintenance or emergency repair work.

Store elsewhere
Don’t place kitty litter near your furnace – ammonia fumes from the litter can corrode the furnace heat exchanger and odours can circulate throughout your home.

Safety first
Never leave any combustibles in the furnace room. Don’t store anything near your furnace that’s combustible at low flash points – like gasoline, paint and paint thinners.

Lighting
In an emergency, or even for a regular inspection, burnt light bulbs and low lighting can make walking around your furnace room hazardous.

Maintenance
It’s always better to be safe than sorry – replace your furnace filter regularly, as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Leave yourself reminders in your kitchen or smartphone calendar.