WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Some reminders for keeping your family warm this winter:
- Have a working smoke detector in your home
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the risk of dying in a house fire is 54 percent lower in homes with working smoke alarms than in homes with no alarms or none that worked.
- Check the date on the back of the smoke detector
Smoke detectors feature a manufacturer’s date on the back side. If it’s more than ten years old, it needs replaced.
- Close before you doze
Remember to close your bedroom door when you go to bed to slow the spread of smoke in the case of a fire.
- Plug space heaters directly into wall
Do not use an extension cord or power strip for your space heater. The heater is likely to make the cords work overtime, posing fire risks.
- Get your chimney inspected annually
The NFPA recommends an annual chimney inspection to clear the flues of any bird nests or creosote, the natural byproduct of burning wood. According to Angie’s List, a chimney inspection can cost $100 to $250.
Bart Ogden, owner of Home Safe Hearth and Chimney, Inc. is one of 45 master chimney sweeps in the United States.
Ogden says November is a busy month for his business, with people scheduling inspections and cleaning. His certified technicians look for creosote, which is a naturally-occurring byproduct of burning wood.
“There’s no way to stop the accumulation of creosote…if you don’t get that cleaned out of the chimney, then it can catch on fire and cause a structure fire,” Ogden said.
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