Winter Fire Safety

1/8/2020 (Permalink)

Maintaining safety during the winter months is very important. Don’t let the cooler weather get your guard down.

Many people may not realize, but the risk for house fires increases dramatically during the winter months. As we spend more time indoors, particularly during the holidays, our activities put us at a higher risk. These activities include everything from decorating with lights, cooking, burning candles, and even heating our homes. Follow these winter activity tips to create a safer environment in your house this season:

1. Place any heating device at least 3 feet away from anything combustible (paper, clothing, etc.)
2. Don’t leave heaters on when you are home alone or while you sleep. They should never be unmonitored.
3. Check cords for frays or breaks, and always turn off the heater if the cord or outlet begin to feel hot.
4. Have chimneys inspected by a professional before use each year.
5. Always make sure your smoke detectors are installed and working, but especially when you are going to be burning a fire.
6. Keep any candles in sturdy containers that cannot be easily knocked over, and be sure to extinguish them before leaving the room.
7. Be careful when using candles in decorations, make sure the flame isn’t too close to something that could ignite.
8. Consider using battery operated candles to reduce your risk even further.
9. Always unplug lights, or have them set up on a timer to automatically turn off.
10. Keep trees away from heat vents and other heat sources.
11. Make sure your tree stand can hold your tree securely, and that it can also hold about 3 days’ worth of water.

If you experience a fire at your home this winter call SERVPRO of Baldwin and Monroe anytime at 478-452-8000.