Fire Safety Tips for the Warmer Months

It’s easy to associate at-home fire protection with the colder months with the use of space heaters, fireplaces, decorative candles, and tangled strings of holiday lights. But, just because we’re less inclined to turn the heat on doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still be vigilant when it comes to protecting ourselves and our property from fire hazards. As you transition from sweaters to shorts, deep fryers to grills, and indoor holiday parties to backyard barbecues, keep an eye on these areas:

Grills

Fire is unavoidable when it comes to preparing the perfect kabob or rack of ribs on the grill, which means you’ve got some inherent risks right from the get-go. In fact, the NFPA reports that an average of 8,900 home fires are caused by grilling each year. Here are some fire safety tips for the grill:

While the meat is marinating, be sure to check each potentially problematic point of the grill including the propane tank, the hose, and all connecting points.
Charcoal should be soaked with charcoal starter fluid only.
Make sure the grill is clean—failing to clean the grill before and after use is a contributing factor in nearly 20% of all grill structure fires.
Make sure the grill is set up in an open, outdoor area with nothing flammable (plants, paper products, etc.) nearby.

Outdoor Fire Pits

The necessary safety precautions for an outdoor fire pit (s’mores, anybody?) are much the same as for a grill, plus a few others:

Never leave young children unattended near a fire in the pit.
Fill a bucket with water and set it next to the pit before you even begin building the fire.
Avoid throwing leaves, pine cones, pine needles and paper into the fire. They catch fire quickly and can result in dangerous floating embers.
Unless there’s an emergency, avoid dumping the entire bucket of water on the fire to put it out. Instead, spread the pieces of fuel as far apart as possible and gently sprinkle water over them until there are no more glowing embers. This prevents the scatter of embers and a thick cloud of smoke.
Toast your marshmallows over the embers rather than the flames. This not only gives them that perfect golden crust, but prevents them from catching on fire.

Chimneys

As cozy as it was in January and February, come April and May chances are you’ll be less inclined to build a fire in the living room fireplace. As easy as it is to just scoop out the ashes, close it up, and forget about it until November, go ahead and have the chimney inspected as part of your spring cleaning effort. The NFPA recommends having a chimney inspected and thoroughly cleaned at least once a year anyway, and getting it out of the way this time of year often means ridding it of buildup that would only cause more damage if it hung around until the fall. Plus, chimney technicians will be more likely to have flexible schedules in the springtime.

Smoke Alarms

The batteries should be changed once a year, so go ahead and roll it into your spring cleaning ritual. As the spring and summer days progress, don’t forget to test the smoke alarms (there should be at least one on every floor of the house) each month.

We hope that you found these tips helpful. Happy Spring!

Is Your Heating System & Fireplace Ready For Winter?

When it’s cold outside, you need to keep your home warm and toasty, but you also want to keep it safe. Heaters, fireplaces, and other methods of warmth can also create fire hazards. While fireplaces may be designed to contain fire, they still require caution and regular maintenance to effectively manage flames, embers and smoke.

Here are some tips to make sure you are keeping your home safe this winter:

Test your smoke alarms on a consistent basis and keep fire extinguishers handy.
Sweep dust bunnies regularly.
Place your heater a minimum of three feet from all flammable items.
Make sure candles are kept away from flammable objects.
Use the 1:1 rule — only plug one heating appliance into an electrical outlet at a time.
Unplug appliances and completely put out fires in the fireplace before you leave the room or your home.
Have fuel tanks filled and maintained throughout the season.
Use a fireplace screen to prevent hot embers from flying out and catching your possessions on fire.
Service wood-burning or pellet stoves according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Winter Weather Maintenance Practices for Your Home

Along with fire prevention, homeowners should perform winter maintenance to keep temperatures inside the house warm when it is cold outside.

Do not set the heater lower than 55 degrees, as the temperature inside the walls where water piping is located is colder than in living spaces. Also, keep doors open within the house to maintain an even temperature throughout.
Prevent drafts and heat loss by adding weather stripping around doors and caulking windows. Install storm windows, if appropriate.
Check for water leaks and make repairs, if needed. If a water pipe is exposed in an unheated area, such as a garage or crawl space, wrap the pipe in UL-listed heat tape; use only thermostatically controlled heat tape on plastic piping.
Learn where water pipes are located and know how to shut off the water supply in the event of an emergency to prevent damage.
Clean out your dryer lint trap or lint screen after EVERY use. It takes only a couple of seconds and can help stop a potential fire before it ever becomes a significant risk factor. Debris that builds up in the lint trap can catch fire when exposed to the appliance’s heat settings.

Winter is prime time for house fires, with more deaths occurring in December through March than any other time of the year. Develop an exit strategy with your household and run practice drills with your family to help avoid preventable tragedy.

Related: Creating a Fire Escape Plan

With knowledge of the most common fire risks, our tips for fire prevention and a strong emergency response plan in place, you and your loved ones will be well equipped to protect yourselves and your home.

6 Tips To Protect Your Vehicle From Potholes This Winter

Freezing rain and fluctuating winter temperatures can leave roadways littered with potholes, causing vehicle damage and costly repairs for motorists! Potholes tend to form when moisture collects in small holes and cracks in the road surface. As temperatures rise and fall, the underground moisture expands and contracts. This results in broken up pavement, which is then continually impacted by the weight of passing cars.

Blown tires, dented rims, damaged wheels, dislodged wheel weights, displaced struts, dislocated shock absorbers and damaged exhaust systems are all costly common automotive issues. Other signs include misaligned steering systems and ruptured ball joints.

How Can You Protect Your Vehicle From Winter's Potholes?

AAA suggests making sure tires have enough tread and are properly inflated. To check the treat depth, insert a quarter into the treat groove with Washington's head down. The tread should cover part of Washington's head! If it doesn't, it's time to start looking for new tires!
Keep an eye out for potholes when driving — stay focused on the road ahead and don't get distracted! If you need to swerve to avoid a pothole, make sure to check surrounding traffic to avoid causing a collision or endanger nearby pedestrians or cyclists.
If a pothole cannot be avoided, reduce speed and check the rearview mirror before any abrupt breaking. Hitting a pothole at higher speeds increases the likelihood of damage to tires, wheels, and suspension components.
A puddle of water can disguise a deep pothole. User care when driving through puddles and treat them as though they may be hiding potholes!
Hitting a pothole can knock a vehicle's wheels out of alignment and affect the steering. If a vehicle pulls to the left or right, have the wheel alignment checked by a qualified technician.
Any new or unusual noises or vibrations that appear after hitting a pothole should be inspected immediately by a certified technician. A hard pothole impact can dislodge wheel weights, damage a tire or wheel, and bend or even break break suspension components.

Follow the steps above to help avoid and prevent potholes and keep your vehicle safe this year!

Fall Season Home Maintenance Tips For Homeowners

The autumn season when leaves turn color and start to fall, along with cooling temperature, is a good time to take care of some annual maintenance around your home. By being proactive, you can avoid costly (and in some cases, dangerous) issues when the weather turns even colder.

Have your furnace or boiler serviced by a licensed contractor to check annually for any repair or concerns. This is a good time to clean or replace the furnace filter on forced hot air systems. If you have a chimney, have it checked and serviced by a licensed contractor as well. Make sure to remove creosote buildup from chimneys that are connected to woodstoves and fireplaces.

Falling leaves and outdoor debris can clog drains and gutters. The fall is a good time to check that these are clean. Clogged gutters can cause a few issues, but the big one for most homeowners is roof leaks. If your gutters can't drain properly, that excess water can soak through shingles, eventually leaking into your home. This can cause mold to grow, along with damage from the water itself. Melting snow can also fill up your gutters, causing similar issues! A good rule of thumb is, clean your gutters twice a year.

While gutters are being cleaned, take a few minutes to inspect your roof. Look for obvious holes and damaged (or missing) shingles, but also take some time to really comb over the details. Keep an eye out for cracks and general wear and tear!

If there’s any loose tree limbs around your property, consider trimming or cutting them before they become destructive. Tree limbs that fall on a house or other insured structure on the property would be covered for both the damage inflicted and the cost of removing the tree, generally up to about $500.

Explore your home and property to remove any trash, old papers and dense clutter in areas like your garage, basement and attic. This can create the perfect fuel for a fire. Household items, like improperly stored batteries and even glassware sitting in a beam of sunlight, can generate enough heat to ignite a fire. Pay close attention to other common, highly flammable items you may keep in a garage or storage shed, including gasoline, chemicals, and gases used for grilling.