Fire Safety Tips for Winter

For many of us, we have pretty strong feelings regarding winter. It's usually not a middle ground, but more of a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing. Whichever side you fall on, you still need to be aware of potential dangers in the winter season, particularly fire hazards. With heating units being cranked up after lying dormant all summer, fire safety is incredibly important. Today, we are going to look at ways that you can keep your home and business protected from fires that are higher risks during the winter months.

The first thing you should be concerned with is paying attention to items that are flammable and can easily catch fire. Any item that is a potential danger - such as curtains, papers, cardboard, etc. - should be a distance of at least 3 feet from any kind of heating equipment. That includes furnaces, space heaters, etc. You also want to make sure nothing is too close to or covering up heating ducts, as they can get hot very quickly as well.

Next, you want to make sure a professional is servicing and doing all of your maintenance on your heating equipment. Because of the potential danger, this isn't something you want to address through a YouTube video. Making sure your equipment is maintained by a professional ensures that it is safe and up to all Building Department and FDNY codes.

This is also a good time to have systems cleaned and inspected, right when HVAC units are switched from A/C to heat. Air filters should be changed at this time as well.

Another potential hazard to be aware of is space heaters. Room temperature is a common disagreement in an office space, and space heaters are often used to compensate. Space heaters must be operated safely and watched that they do not get too hot. It's important to have distance from flammable items as well.

It's also imperative that space heaters are turned off and unplugged at the end of the day. It's wise to have a system in place or a designated person to make sure that happens.

Another way to protect an office or home from potential fires in the winter months is making sure carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working. This is a good time to test or change batteries also. This is a critical safety measure as carbon monoxide is an odorless gas.

The final thing you want to do to see that you are safe this winter is to make sure your flameproofing treatments are current. If a fire did occur, materials or items that are treated with fire retardants will not contribute to the spread and severity of a fire. Once treated, they're no longer combustible, which provides escape time for anyone inside.

By following a few simple steps, you can greatly increase your protection against fire during the winter months.

If you have any questions regarding fire safety or have flameproofing needs, give Brooklyn Flameproofing a call. We have been the business of over 50 years and we'd be happy to serve you in any way: 800-401-5415.

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