As winter approaches and you consider how to keep your home comfortable and running efficiently, you might also be thinking about fire safety. There are many potential fire hazards in a home, but if you’re aware of them, you can take the necessary precautions against them. Below, Blue Ridge Property Restore, a fire damage restoration contractor located in Martinsburg, WV, shares some helpful tips to prevent fires in your home this winter.

Electricity

Electricity is a great source for light, heat, and other home conveniences, but if problems are ignored, an electrical fire can occur. Keep an eye out for frayed, damaged, or kinked wires, and be careful not to overload circuits. Use resources like surge protectors according to directions.

Laundry Lint

The laundry room can be another source of fire hazards if your dryer’s lint trap isn’t cleaned regularly. Lint can get caught in your dryer's exhaust vent as well and may need to be professionally cleaned. Lint is a dry and combustible substance, and with the heat from a dryer, it can ignite. Keeping your dryer vents clean and clear will keep your home safe.

Oil-Based Furnaces

If you have an oil-fueled furnace, water heater, or boiler, there’s a chance “puff backs” can occur. This is where a buildup of unburned oil in the combustion chamber ignites, causing a small explosion. While this explosion might not directly lead to home fires, it can cause flue vents to disconnect or other problems to arise which could create fire hazards. Carefully observe your oil-fueled appliances, watching for soot buildups on or around them and listening for strange rumbling noises. Make sure you get regular maintenance to verify safe operation.

Other Sources of Heat

Other heating sources, too, can cause safety concerns. Make sure space heaters or wood or pellet stoves are used according to their instructions, and keep them away from furniture, children, and other combustible materials. These materials can ignite from the heat and start a fire. If this does happen, you’ll need to contact a fire damage restoration provider to remove traces of the blaze.

Fireplaces

Finally, an obvious source of fire safety concern is your fireplace and chimney. A blazing fire on a winter evening can be cozy, but don’t forget to take the necessary safety precautions. Buildups of soot and creosote in the chimney can ignite and cause chimney fires, but this danger is easily mitigated by getting a regular chimney sweeping.

If these chores are forgotten and you end up with damage from a home fire this winter, the team at Blue Ridge Property Restore will help. This affordable fire damage restoration service repairs homes affected by fires while also removing smoke, soot, and odors. They also provide water damage restoration and remove mold and mildew in case of flooding or burst pipes. Contact them today at (304) 262-8100 or visit their website to find out how you can get a free estimate.