With winter and the holidays here, many people may not keep fire safety in mind. Here are a few tips to consider when ensuring your home is safe and ready for all the winter festivities you have planned.
1. Check your furnace. It truly is worth every cent to hire a professional to annually inspect and service your furnace. Better to go through the inspection than risk a broken furnace in the dead of winter, right?
2. Get your chimneys and vents checked. If you light fires frequently, you should hire a chimney sweep about once per year, since fireplaces produce creosote (which is highly flammable). You should also try to make sure that the wood you burn is dry so it produces less smoke.
3. Test smoke alarms. Smoke alarms should be in prominent places through the house, especially rooms like the kitchen or bedroom. You should also make sure that the batteries are working properly.
4. Cover the fireplace with a screen. Tempered glass or a metal screen helps protect sparks from leaving the fireplace. Even so, make sure that children and pets sit at least three feet away when you light a fire in the fireplace.
5. Beware of lit candles. Candles can set the mood for relaxation, and that’s how they get forgotten or knocked over by kids or pets. Light candles only when you’re around to watch them and blow them out when you’re ready to leave the room. Ditto for cigarettes, pipes, etc. If you’re going to smoke, try to do it outside.