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Keep Your Home Warm this Winter

Inverness Tenant Warming Their Toes by the Cozy FireplaceFire Safety Tips You Need to Know

Winter months usually bring holidays, memories – and seasonal fire hazards. As is often the case, the increased use of fireplaces, candles, and kitchen appliances during the winter months is why there are multiple residential fires at this time of year. To always keep your Inverness home and family safe, it’s crucial to understand the elements of good winter fire safety. By bearing in mind and applying these few easy pointers, you can keep from happening the most regular causes of winter fires, and see to it a simply delightful winter season is yours to experience and relish in.

A crackling fire can be simply what you need for cozy winter nights. However, fireplaces should be used carefully and cleaned regularly to guarantee that the flames stay where they should. One of the most important safety tips for utilizing a fireplace is to clean it closely before each use. Ashes, built-up soot, and debris can become hazards, throwing sparks and causing burns and property damage. Starting with a clean fireplace can certainly make sure that your fire will warm you safely as soon as you light it.

Along with cleaning your fireplace, be sure that the damper is working effectively and is open when lighting your kindling. This will ascertain proper ventilation and prevent smoke from filling your home’s interior. Once lit, you should never leave a fire unattended and should keep children and pets at a safe distance. One last thing, use preventive steps if removing ashes and unburned wood from a fireplace. Coals can hide under ashes and stay hot for three days, so stir ashes really carefully and test for heat just before scooping them out. And be sure to do an annual chimney sweep to keep creosote deposits from ruining the festivities.

Together with fireplaces, candles are an additional source of harmful residential fires. Open flames can bring about a great mood in your home, however, they should be used carefully. According to the National Fire Protection Association, candles start an average of 7,610 home structure fires each year. To keep the risk of fire low, you should always keep in mind to leave a lit candle at a distance from anything that might be flammable, including curtains, houseplants, and home décor items. Never move a candle that has melted wax pooling in the center, and never leave a lit candle unattended. As a result, you can enjoy all of your candle-lit evenings confident of your safety.

It’s not unexpected that most of our winter holidays are closely associated with flavorful treats and great meals. But certainly all that extra cooking also actually means that kitchen fires could happen more often in the winter months. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are more than 189,000 cooking fires in the U.S. each year. The underlying reason for these fires is food or kitchen appliances left unattended.

To be assured that a kitchen fire doesn’t spoil your holidays, be certain to stay in the kitchen continually when simmering or baking food. It’s equally vital to set a timer to remind yourself to take out food from the stove or oven when you’re done cooking. Many home cooking fires happen on the stovetop, so see to it to keep flammable objects (including dish towels and other fabrics) well away from your stove before turning any of the burners on. Completely clean spills or overflowing food right away, and use pots and pans that are in excellent condition.

One last point, if your holiday cooking plans include frying, use extra caution around hot oil. Never leave a pot of boiling water or oil unattended, and keep a pot lid close at hand. If the oil starts to flame up, stop it immediately by covering the pot with the lid, turning off the heat, and allowing the stove and pot to cool.

By putting into practice these simple safety tips, you can precisely avoid the winter season’s most common fire hazards. Would you like to know and understand more safety tips for renters? We can always help! Call 352-854-2221 to speak with a professional Inverness property manager today.

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