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Fire-Safe and Toasty Warm | SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito
1/16/2024 (Permalink)
Fire safety is a top priority for us at SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito this winter. Keep your home safe with these helpful tips!
Even in a warm Texas climate, we all still love when the temperatures take a dive and we can curl up under a blanket. Cold weather may not be common, but when it does show up, a crackling fire or nicely heated house can be pretty cozy.
House fires grow substantially in the winter, and most of the time they are due to preventable accidents caused by space heaters, fireplaces and other heating devices. The good news is with a few safety steps you can keep things fire-safe and toasty warm.
There is little that compares to the glow of a fire on a cold night. Fireplaces are peaceful, but they can also be quite dangerous when used improperly. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, clean the ash and other debris out after every use. Have your chimney inspected and professionally cleaned every year to remove creosote or other buildup.
Keep anything flammable away from your fireplace, which also means not hanging anything from your mantle. Dust around your fireplace weekly, and make sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the room. For gas or electric fireplaces, keep an eye on the connections to watch for signs of aging.
With our mild climate, space heaters might be your favorite way to heat a room without having to mess with your thermostat. But space heaters are responsible for nearly 1,700 fires every year, most of them from misuse.
Always run your space heater on a flat, nonflammable surface. Make sure your heater has a three-foot radius of open space around it, and check the cord to make sure there is no fraying. Space heaters should always be plugged directly into the wall.
It can be tempting to pull the heater right up to your seat, but keep it clear of your couch and curtains. Take measures to protect your pets from the heater when it is running, and tell the kids to steer clear as well. Don’t leave a space heater running unattended, and make sure to turn it off before you head to bed as well.
If your space heaters are more than five years old, it may be time for an upgrade. There is a huge variety of heaters on the market, but there are a few safety features you want to look for before making a purchase. Do your research to ensure whoever you buy from is certified and reliable.
Any space heater you use in your home should have automatic shutoff features. This should include a tip feature that makes the unit kick off when it is bumped or knocked over and a shutoff feature after the space heater has been running for some time.
Take a look at the cord on the space heater. It should be pretty heavy duty and at least six feet long. You can’t safely use an extension cord with a space heater, so make sure you are buying one with enough cord length to meet your needs and be plugged directly into the wall.
With a little fireplace care and space heater safety, you can make your home toasty and safe anytime winter decides to visit. If something does happen, with one call to our SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito we can get your home completely free of smoke, soot or any other damage.
A quick fire damage restoration is just a phone call away. Call SERVPRO® for immediate assistance.