24/7 Emergency ServiceStaying Fire-Safe in a Warm Home | SERVPRO of Tri-County
5/15/2024 (Permalink)
Fire safety is a top priority for us at SERVPRO of Tri-County this winter. Keep your home safe with these helpful tips!
Do you love or hate the time of year when winter has fully set in? No matter which camp you are in, you have to admit there is nothing quite like curling up under a warm blanket and watching a fire glow in your fireplace.
Fireplaces, warm socks and comfy sweatshirts might make this season a cozy one, but it also leaves your home at risk. House fires increase dramatically in the winter, and many of them are caused by the improper use of heating equipment. With a few safety steps, though, you can enjoy the cozy and stay safe in a warm house.
Having a fireplace in your home is a great way to create a beautiful ambiance. It is also a great secondary source of heat to keep things warm when the power goes out, but fireplaces can be dangerous when they aren’t used correctly.
If you burn wood, be sure to clean ash and other debris after every fire. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a certified professional every year to prevent buildup of creosote.
Don’t put anything flammable near your fireplace. If you have a mantle, avoid storing anything that dangles down or could burn easily. For a gas or electric fireplace, take a look at the connections every few months to make sure they are tight and don’t show any signs of aging.
Dust is highly flammable, so keep everything clean around your fireplace. You should have a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector in the room with your fireplace that has good batteries.
With a mostly milder climate in our area, space heaters are a common choice for heating a single room without having to change the temperature on your thermostat. Space heaters are responsible for nearly 1,700 house fires every year, which means you need to use it safely the next time a cold morning rolls around.
Before you turn on your heater, make sure it is on a flat surface with nothing around it. Take a look at the cord and make sure it is free of any fraying, and always plug space heaters directly into the wall.
Teach your children and your animals to stay at least three feet away from your heater. The warmth may feel nice, but you still shouldn’t put the heater near the couch, bed or curtains. Don’t use an extension cord or power strip with space heaters, and always turn them off when you leave the room.
If you haven’t replaced your space heaters recently, consider an upgrade. There are a lot of options on the market today, but look for a few specific safety features to get the best possible units for your home.
Only buy from a certified, reputable company. Make sure the units you purchase have passed a number of tests before they are sold. Any space heater you use should automatically shut off when it is bumped or tipped. They should also have a thermostat that shuts them off after running for a certain length of time.
Cords on space heaters should be long enough to meet your needs while plugged directly into the wall, generally six feet is ideal.
Love or hate it, winter is here to stay. When you take care of your home, you can stay safe and warm without too much fear of a disaster. If something does happen, a single call to SERVPRO of Tri-County can get your home back to normal fast.
A quick fire damage restoration is just a phone call away. Call SERVPRO® for immediate assistance.