Fire Safety Tips You Need to Know
Together with holidays and memories, winter months also bring seasonal fire hazards. Winter is usually synonymous with fireplaces, candles, and kitchen appliances that is why there tend to be more residential fires at this time of the year. Winter fire safety knowledge will come in handy to keep your Baton Rouge home and family safe. The following tips can help you avoid the common causes of winter fires and make your winter a season to enjoy.
A crackling fire really makes winter nights extra cozy. However, you should ensure that flames stay where they should be by using your fireplace carefully and cleaning it often. One of the most important safety tips for using a fireplace is to clean it thoroughly before each use.Debris like ashes and built-up soot can become hazards that cause sparks that could result in burns and property damage. If you start with a clean fireplace, you ensure that you have a safe & warm fire each time you light it.
Aside from cleaning your fireplace, make sure the damper is open and working properly before lighting your kindling. This will ensure good ventilation that will prevent your home from being filled with smoke. In addition, you should keep children a good distance away from the fire and make sure no fire is unattended. Lastly, take care when removing ashes and unburned wood from fireplaces. Coals can stay hot under ashes for up to three days, so stir ashes carefully and test for heat before attempting to scoop them out. Also, don’t forget to do your annual chimney sweep to keep creosote deposits from ruining the festivities.
Similar to fireplaces, candles are also potential sources of residential fires. Open flames can improve the mood in your home, but they must always be used cautiously. According to the National Fire Protection Association, candles start an average of 7,610 home structure fires each year. You can keep the risk of fire low if you keep lit candles safely away from flammable items like curtains, houseplants, and home decor. Never leave lit candles unattended and do not move a candle that has melted wax pooling in the center. This way, you’ll keep your candle-lit evenings safe.
Winter holidays also mean special treats and meals. But with all that cooking, it also means kitchen fires become much more common in these winter months. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are more than 189,000 cooking fires in the U.S. each year. Most of these fires are because of unattended food or kitchen appliances.
To ensure that your holidays don’t get ruined by kitchen fires, see to it that you stay in the kitchen at all times while simmering or baking food. Having a timer is also helpful to remind you to remove food from the stove or oven as soon as you are done cooking. Since most cooking fires begin on stovetops, you should keep flammable objects such as dish towels and other fabrics away from your stove before you turn the burners on. Wipe up spills or overflowing food right away, and use pots and pans that are in good condition.
Finally, be very careful when frying in hot oil. Never leave pots of boiling water or oil unattended and always keep a pot lid nearby. If the oil starts to flame up, you can stop it immediately if you cover the pot with the lid, turn off the heat, and allow the stove and pot to cool.
If you follow these safety tips, you can easily avoid most winter fire hazards. Would you like to learn more safety tips for renters? We can help! Call 225-389-6860 to speak with a professional Baton Rouge property manager today.
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