Thanksgiving & Christmas are just around the corner. The holidays are filled with cold weather, lots of cooking, & hanging those much loved Christmas lights. All these things are great, but they can also lead to many different types of house fires. This time of year is a good time to check your fire extinguishers & smoke detectors to make sure they are not just dust collectors.
Cold weather causes people to use many different types of heaters to warm their home. It’s always best practice to not use a space heater if possible. If you are going to be using a heater make sure it’s made for indoor usage & that it’s a safe distance from anything flammable. Never leave it on for extended periods of time, while you are sleeping, & especially when you are not at home.
The Holidays mean lots of cooking will be happening. Kitchen fires can lead to large claims. It’s always good to have a fire extinguisher located in the kitchen in case of a fire. If you already have an extinguisher you can check the gauge in order to tell if it needs to be replaced. If the gauge arm is within the green area it’s good. If the arm is outside of the green it’s bad, & needs to be replaced. If there is no gauge look on the bottle for an expiration date. Most extinguishers will say the expiration date or will say 5-15 years from date manufactured (find manufacturing date on bottle to determine).
Once Thanksgiving is over it’s straight into putting up the Christmas tree & all the lights. It’s always a great time of the year, but one of the things that make it so great can also lead to a disaster. Christmas lights seem harmless, but plugging multiple sets of lights into the same socket or extension cord can be hazardous. This is especially true if you leave them on for long periods of time. If you still use your parent’s old lights from the 1980’s it’s a good time to buy new ones. The newer lights are safer & more energy efficient.
Do not let your Holidays go up in flames. Check your smoke detectors & fire extinguishers to make sure they are operational. Just a few minutes of your time could save you & your family from disaster.
