Winter Home Safety Tips
Winter means Christmas time, but it can also mean you need to take more precautions to keep your home safe. Dryer safety, fireplace safety, smoke detector safety, and more. These are all examples of things you should be keeping up on in your home, especially in the winter months. Follow these winter safety tips for a safe, and happy Holiday season.
Dryer Safety Tips.
Did you know that on average, 15,000 dryer fires occur each year? Lint build up in the dryer is one of the main causes for it to catch fire. The fridge is the only appliance that uses more energy in a home than the dryer. Washers and Dryers are constantly being used in a home, especially if you have a large family. Every time you do your laundry, you should be removing the lint from the trap. Not only will this help to prevent dryer fires, but will also help the dyer run more efficiently.
Using the straightest, and shortest duct available for your vent pipe, can also help when keeping a safe dryer. It’s recommended to not use a flexible duct because it may not withstand the temperature from the dyer, or allow for proper airflow. Safety officials recommend keeping a fire extinguisher near the laundry room for easy access in case of an emergency. If needed,you can always call a professional to come out and properly clean out the ducts for you in your dryer.
Fireplace Safety Tips.
Make sure you clean out the ashes from the previous fire before starting a new fire. Besure to check that the flue is open before use. Use wood that is well aged, and very dry. Using wet wood will cause more smoke, and also adds buildup in your chimney. Before using the fireplace for the first time each year, make sure you are checking the chimney for any animal nest, or blockages. Anything that is flammable, needs to be a safe place from the fireplace before lighting a fire. Take small children with you when you leave the room and the fireplace is lit to prevent accidents from happening. Make sure you are talking to your children about fire safety at a young age to ensure they know the dangers that can occur. Keep a fire extinguisher handy near the fireplace as well.
Smoke Detector & Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips.
When you have properly working smoke detectors in your home, the risk of dying in a house fire is cut in half. Improper smoke detectors are the cause of three out of five household fire deaths. The safest way to have smoke detectors installed is on every level of your house, inside every bedroom, and outside of sleeping quarters. Practice with your family what to do, and where to meet up in case the fire alarm does go off in your home. Making sure the batteries are replaced twice a year, and testing the smoke detectors once a month is a safe practice tip as well.
Carbon Monoxide batteries are recommended to be changed every 6 months. Around 450 people each year die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Placing a carbon monoxide detector near any major gas-burning appliance is the best way to keep you and your family safe against this silent killer.
Christmas Light Safety.
Everyone loves the lights around Christmas time, but there is also safety, and fire concerns when using Christmas lights. Never exchange outside lights indoors, or inside lights outdoors. These lights are labeled separately for a reason, and are not interchangeable. Be sure to not overload outlets with too many strands of lights, it is safest to limit outlets to three strands per outlet. Try to use LED lights instead of incandescent lights. Incandescent lights can overheat, and cause fires on the tree, or around garland. Lights with automatic shut offs, or timers are the safest to use in case you forget to shut them off at night before bed. When placing the lights outside or on the roof, make sure you have a spotter when you are using a ladder.
Package Delivery Safety.
Online shopping makes things a lot easier when it comes to Christmas shopping. But having multiple packages delivered while you’re at work could cause issues. A good way to protect your deliveries is to have a Ring doorbell installed, or other video cameras in your home. That way you would be able to monitor the deliveries when you are at work. Tracking and monitoring your expected delivery dates and times is a good practice as well. If you won’t be home for an extended period of time when you know that more expensive deliveries will arrive, try to have it set up so that the carrier will put your package in a designated area that is out of view. Asking neighbors to bring your packages in if you are close with them might help as well.
In Conclusion:
The steps listed above will help you to ensure you can enjoy your holidays safely and securely. Don’t let risk or being scared dampen your Christmas spirit! Be prepared, and cautious, and you can go on enjoying your holiday season with friends and loved ones and have home safety during the holidays. We at Trademark Inspection Services would like to wish you and your family a very happy holiday season.