Heating Safety Tips

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

Know the risks associated with heating your home this winter.

It’s no secret that we need heat to keep us warm throughout the winter months. Though heat is a necessity, many do not consider that heating their home doesn’t come without risk. Many studies show that fires occur more often in winter than in any other season. With that being said, SERVPRO of Western Lancaster would like you and your family to keep the following tips in mind:

Safety Tips for Fire Prevention This Winter:

Wood-Burning Appliances

• Have your chimney professionally inspected and cleaned before lighting your wood stove or fireplace each year.
• Keep flammable objects at least three feet from your wood stove or fireplace.
• Never use flammable liquids to start or accelerate a fire in your home.
• Keep a screen in front of fireplaces to prevent embers from flying out.
• Do not leave your fireplace unattended; It is best practice to ensure your fire is out before going to sleep each night.
• Before closing your fireplace damper, ensure the ashes are cool to the touch. Closing the damper could help the fire to heat up again and will  could force carbon monoxide into your home.
• Discard cooled ashes in a covered metal container. Store the container outside and away from the house.

Gas Furnaces

• Have your furnace inspected annually to ensure that it is safe to operate.
• Inspect the walls and ceiling near the furnace and along the chimney line. If the wall is hot or discolored, install additional pipe insulation.
• Check that the flue pipe and pipe seams are well supported and without holes or cracks. Soot along or around seams may signal a leak.
• Keep combustible items away from the heating system.

Other Fire Safety Tips

• Ensure that there is adequate smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
• To prevent carbon monoxide build-up, keep portable generators outside and away from doors and windows.
• Never use a stove or oven for heating. Not only is doing so a safety hazard, but it can also be a source of carbon monoxide.
• If you use electric heaters, plug only one heater into a wall outlet at a time to avoid overloading the circuit.
• Avoid using electric heaters in bathrooms or other areas where water is used.
• Never try to thaw frozen water pipes with a blow torch or other open flame.

Contact Your Local SERVPRO for Fire Restoration Services

SERVPRO of Western Lancaster provides fire and smoke damage remediation, in addition to water damage remediation, mold removal, and biohazard cleanup to commercial and residential customers. At SERVPRO of Western Lancaster, we are faster to any size disaster. If you need restoration services, call our office at 717-665-1270!