Key Takeaways
- Ohio winter fire risks increase due to heating equipment, overloaded outlets, and seasonal habits.
- Homeowners should create a fire escape plan, conduct regular safety checks, and prepare a contents inventory to aid in recovery.
- Businesses must maintain detailed inventories of all equipment and ensure backups are stored securely.
- The Ohio Department of Commerce recommends annual inspections of heating systems and working smoke detectors to mitigate fire hazards.
- Preventing winter fires involves understanding risks and ensuring proper preparedness to minimize damage and loss.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Protecting Your Home and Business from Fire
Winter fire risks in Ohio rise when heating equipment, electrical systems, and seasonal habits converge into dangerous conditions. Space heaters, furnaces, and wood stoves can ignite nearby combustibles when the “three-foot safe zone” isn’t observed. Overloaded outlets and extension cords—especially when space heaters are involved—compound the threat. Holiday décor, dried-out Christmas trees, unattended candles, extra indoor cooking, and careless smoking materials add even more ignition sources.
A recent news report even highlights an additional strain: some Americans are using crypto-mining setups in residential buildings that require high energy loads and generate extra heat, further increasing fire risk.
Storm-related power outages and generator misuse complete the risk picture. Generators operated indoors or near exits heighten both fire and carbon-monoxide hazards. The Ohio Department of Commerce urges homeowners and businesses to schedule annual inspections of heating systems and chimneys, ensure working smoke and CO detectors on every level, and maintain a clear fire escape plan—to prevent catastrophic losses and ease recovery.
Watch this video on making an effective fire escape plan or follow the steps below.
How To Make A Fire Escape Plan
- Draw your floor plan
– Sketch the layout of your home, including all rooms, doors, and windows.
– Mark the location of smoke alarms.
- Plan escape routes
– From each room, draw two ways out, typically a door and a window.
– Ensure all doors and windows open easily and aren’t blocked.
– Consider an escape ladder for upper-story windows.
– For homes with security bars or child window guards, make sure they have a quick-release mechanism.
– If you or a family member has a disability, plan how you will assist them. - Designate a meeting place
– Choose a permanent, safe spot outside, away from the home, like a specific tree, mailbox, or neighbor’s house.
– Draw this spot on your floor plan.
– Ensure the meeting place is far enough from the house so it’s not in danger. - Practice your plan
– Practice your fire drill at least twice a year.
– Practice at different times, including at night.
– Simulate a fire by blocking one escape route to ensure everyone knows the alternate exit.
– Practice staying low and crawling to escape smoke.
– Teach everyone to never go back inside a burning building.
– Test smoke alarms when you practice to make sure they work. - Important details
– Keep pathways clear of furniture and other obstructions.
– Post your house numbers clearly where they can be seen from the street.
– Teach everyone the emergency number for the fire department and how to call it from a cell phone.
– After escaping, call 9-1-1 from a safe location.
Preparing a Contents Inventory Before a Fire Occurs
A fire doesn’t just damage a structure—it destroys personal belongings, equipment, inventory, and records. Insurance companies will require a detailed list of every item that was damaged or destroyed. This process is emotionally overwhelming if done after the fire. Creating an inventory ahead of time protects your recovery later.
How Homeowners Can Prepare:
- Walk through each room with your smartphone and record video of all contents.
- Open drawers, closets, storage bins, and cabinets.
- Photograph serial numbers for electronics and appliances.
- Save receipts digitally for major purchases.
- Store both your video and list in cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox).
Helpful Resource:
For homeowners seeking a ready-to-use framework, United Policyholders provides a free “Complete Household Inventory Spreadsheet” you can download and customize. United Policyholders+1
How Businesses Can Prepare
For commercial properties, preparing a detailed contents inventory is essential to ensuring a smooth and accurate insurance recovery after a fire loss. Businesses should maintain a digital catalog of all equipment, furnishings, machinery, electronics, tools, raw materials, and inventory stored on-site. This includes documenting model numbers, quantities, acquisition dates, depreciation schedules, and vendor information. Photographs and video walkthroughs of work areas, warehouses, shop floors, storage rooms, and office equipment should be updated quarterly and stored securely in cloud-based systems or off-site backups to prevent loss of data. Using standardized tools—such as United Policyholders’ household inventory spreadsheet as a starting point—can help businesses adapt and build a structured, itemized asset list. A well-prepared commercial inventory not only supports faster claim processing but also minimizes disputes, reduces downtime, and enhances the likelihood of receiving a settlement that reflects the true value of business property and operational needs.
Contents Inventory Preparation for Commercial Properties:
- Maintain spreadsheets or inventory software tracking equipment, tools, and supplies.
- Document purchase dates, models, and vendor information.
- Photograph storerooms, offices, and machinery quarterly.
- Store backups off-site or in the cloud to ensure access even if the premises are compromised.
Helpful Resource:
For business owners seeking a ready-to-use framework, Green Public Insurance Adjusting provides a free contents spreadsheet upon request by messaging office@thegreenpa.com.
A well-organized inventory significantly speeds up claim processing and reduces insurer disputes.
Final Thoughts
Ohio’s winter fire season is predictable—but preventable. With the right safety practices and preparation, families and businesses can protect themselves, minimize risk, and ensure they have the documentation needed to recover fully if a fire does occur.
If a fire loss affects your home or business, do not navigate the insurance process alone. Understanding your policy rights, documenting damages properly, and interpreting coverage are crucial steps toward a fair and accurate settlement.
Disclaimer
Green Public Insurance Adjusting does not employ attorneys and does not provide legal advice. This information is intended for general educational purposes only. Homeowners and businesses should consult licensed professionals for electrical, heating, or legal concerns.
