{"id":18971,"date":"2023-12-19T20:25:07","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T20:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/blog\/winter-fire-safety-tips-2\/"},"modified":"2023-12-19T20:25:07","modified_gmt":"2023-12-19T20:25:07","slug":"winter-fire-safety-tips-2","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/blog\/winter-fire-safety-tips-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Fire Safety Tips: How to Protect Your Home and Loved Ones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>For many, staying warm this winter is a top priority. What&#8217;s not a priority? Safety. As our usage of heating equipment increases, so does the chance of fire-related accidents. Knowing some essential winter safety tips can ensure your property and loved ones are secure while enjoying the season comfortably. From checking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/blog\/smoke-alarm-maintenance\/\">smoke alarms<\/a> to never leaving portable heaters unattended, taking precautions can help safeguard everyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Winter Fire Safety Tips: What to Know&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nfpa.org\/education-and-research\/home-fire-safety\/put-a-freeze-on-winter-fires\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">U.S. Fire Administration<\/a>, more home fires occur in winter than in any other season. Here\u2019s how you can prevent a fiery disaster on your property.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wood-Burning Appliances<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Have the chimney inspected annually and cleaned before firing up a wood stove or fireplace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Position flammable objects at least three feet from a wood stove or fireplace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Never use flammable liquids to start or accelerate a fire in a fireplace or wood stove.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Place a glass or metal screen in front of a fireplace to prevent embers or sparks from entering the surrounding area.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Never use excessive amounts of paper to overbuild a fire in fireplaces. That may ignite the creosote in the chimney.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure your fireplace fire is out before sleeping or leaving home.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Before closing your fireplace damper, check that the ashes are cool. Closing the damper with hot ashes will help the fire heat up again and allow carbon monoxide into your home.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you use artificial logs, follow the directions on the package. Use only one synthetic log at a time and never break one apart to quicken the fire.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discard cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container. Store the container outside and away from the house.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/paper-attachments.dropboxusercontent.com\/s_72E30FE2B5DC5B54C4DA76D450BD752387E3B7E54BD6878378B0A95E26047EA6_1701808656938_AdobeStock_179633381.jpeg\" alt=\"\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Don\u2019t let this be you this holiday season.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gas Furnace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Have your furnace inspected to ensure it\u2019s in good working condition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inspect the walls and ceiling near the furnace and along the chimney line. If the wall is hot or discolored, install additional pipe insulation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check that the flue pipe and pipe seams are well-supported and without holes and cracks. Soot along or around seams may signal a leak.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep combustible items away from the heating system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Fire Safety Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keep portable generators outside, away from windows, and as far away as possible from your home to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Never use a range or an oven for heating. Not only is it a safety hazard, but it can also be a source of carbon monoxide.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you use electric heaters, plug only one heater into a wall outlet at a time to avoid overloading the circuit. If you can\u2019t use a wall outlet, use extension cords of a similar size or larger than the heater\u2019s electrical cord.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid using electric heaters in bathrooms or other areas where water is frequently used.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Never try to thaw frozen water pipes with a blow torch or other open flame. The pipe could conduct the heat and ignite the wall structure inside the wall space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regularly plan and practice your fire escape plan with your family. Establish two exits in each room.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use emergency escape ladders to exit through windows if the primary escape route is blocked.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If there is a fire hydrant near your home, keep it clear of snow to help the fire department locate it in case of a fire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/paper-attachments.dropboxusercontent.com\/s_72E30FE2B5DC5B54C4DA76D450BD752387E3B7E54BD6878378B0A95E26047EA6_1701808724117_AdobeStock_150964632.jpeg\" alt=\"A fireplace. Winter fire safety tips state that you shouldn't leave your fireplace running unattended.\n\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Always be cognizant when using a fireplace.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Winter Fire Damage Issues? Reach Out to PuroClean of Springfield for Support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Winter&#8217;s beauty can also result in winter&#8217;s fire. Dealing with a fire&#8217;s destructive aftermath can be stressful and daunting, but you don&#8217;t have to go at it alone. Our team at PuroClean of Springfield is here to support you every step of the way. We&#8217;re experts in all aspects of <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/services\/fire-and-smoke-damage-restoration\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fire damage restoration<\/a>, from smoke and soot removal to remediating structural damage. Our highly trained technicians are available 24\/7 to turn your disaster into a distant memory. If you live in Springfield, VA, call us today at <a href=\"tel:7033340410\">(703) 334-0410<\/a> for fire damage remediation and restoration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The temperatures are dropping, so many of us spend more time indoors to escape the cold. Naturally, we turn up the heat to stay warm and comfortable. However, with the increased use of heating equipment comes an increased risk of home fires. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18973,"template":"","blog-category":[11],"class_list":["post-18971","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blog-category-fire-restoration"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/18971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/18971\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"blog-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/springfield-va-puroclean-springfield\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-category?post=18971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}