Holiday Safety 101: Fire Hazards

Many of the activities that you engage in during the holidays — decorating your house, cooking special meals, and entertaining family and friends — pose a fire risk. In fact, most household fires and property losses occur during the holiday season. The good news is you can increase holiday safety by knowing the potential hazards and making a few adjustments.

Christmas Trees

More than 200 home fires begin with Christmas trees annually. Using flame-retardant artificial trees significantly reduces the risk of fire. If you prefer a real tree, make sure you choose the freshest one and water it regularly. It's nearly impossible for a well-watered tree to ignite. Also, place it away from any heat sources such as a furnace, radiator, or space heater.

Candles

Predictably, the peak month for candle fires is December. Consider using flameless LED candles. If you must use traditional candles, don't place them on your Christmas tree. Keep lit candles at least a foot away from items that can burn. Set them on sturdy bases out of the reach of pets and children. Remember to snuff them out before retiring to bed.

Decorative Lights

Broken sockets, exposed wires, and shattered bulbs can spark a fire. Be sure to inspect your decorative lights carefully and replace any that are showing signs of wear or damage. Don't combine four or more lights on a single string.

Cooking

Cooking is a leading cause of holiday home fires. Take care not to leave any cooking food unattended. Store utensils, towels, food containers, and other combustible items away from your stove.

Fireplace

Soot can form flammable creosote on your chimney walls, so have your fireplace maintained professionally once a year. Don't leave a fire burning unattended and use a secure glass or metal screen to contain embers and sparks.

Take a moment to ensure you follow the necessary steps toward holiday safety so you and your family can enjoy the festivities to the fullest. For more home comfort tips, contact us at Air Assurance. We proudly serve Broken Arrow homeowners with superior HVAC products and dependable services.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Why Your Spring Cleaning List Should Include Your Fireplace

An annual spring cleaning ideally involves a complete sweep of the entire house from top to bottom, inside and out. However, in reality, there are certain things that usually get overlooked on the chore list. Yet these things which are often out of view can be among the most mandatory to maintain and should not be neglected.This rule especially applies to your fireplace, as it's a prime hiding spot for dirt to accumulate in the form of soot, tucked away where nobody can see it, covering the walls of the chimney chute. Because the buildup of these deposits can be a potential fire and health hazard, a yearly inspection and fireplace cleaning is not only crucial for optimal functionality, but more importantly for the well-being of your house and your family. Regardless of how frequently you enjoy your fireplace, it's recommended to have this repeated on a regular basis.For an extensive fireplace cleaning such as a sweep, it's best to call in an expert. Although, for a temporary tidying up, all you'll need is some old clothing that you don't mind ruining and a few relatively inexpensive items from the hardware store, including rubber gloves, goggles, a brush and something to remove the stains like a specialty cleaner or soot eraser. In addition, a bucket, some newspaper and a trash bag will come in handy.Perform your fireplace cleaning by following these steps:

• Begin by carefully removing the grate and scooping the ground ashes into the bag.

• Lay down newspaper on the inside and a few inches up the walls to better catch the falling debris.

• Fill the bucket with warm water plus cleaner and set it inside the fireplace.

• Proceed to put on your gloves and goggles.

• Scrub the inside walls with the brush, going as high up as you can.

• Finally, clean out the newspaper and your fireplace is ready.

If you need help with your heating and cooling systems, contact the trained technicians at Air Assurance in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. We can answer all of your questions and are always available to take care of your residential and commercial HVAC needs by offering practical advice and professional service.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our current promotionsand get started today!     Home heating image via Shutterstock