Practicing Fire Prevention While Enjoying Winter Holidays | SERVPRO® of Metairie

11/10/2020 (Permalink)

House fires can occur at any time of the year and regardless of the weather—but during periods of cool weather in the winter, their likelihood is increased. Winter is the peak time for household fires based on reporting from the Red Cross. There are many reasons why house fires may occur, but many winter and holiday activities do increase the likelihood that a fire can occur.

Cooking accidents are always a top cause of fires, and people do tend to cook more when the weather turns cooler. Additionally, using space heaters, fireplaces and holiday decorations can all increase the risk of a house fire, too—here are some tips for how you can still enjoy these winter activities safely.

Enjoy Winter Activities While Keeping Your Fire Risk Low

Keep safe when cooking. Most frequently, household fires are caused by accidents surrounding cooking and baking—and with more people cooking holiday meals or baking winter treats, this is especially true during the cooler months. When in the kitchen, be very careful about where flammable objects are placed, never leave cooking food unattended and keep a fire extinguisher in the vicinity at all times, just in case.

Heat the house with proper precautions. A space heater is a great tool for knocking the chill out of the air, but it is important to always use them carefully as they are responsible for many fires every year. Any space heater should be equipped with safety features such as tip-over and overheating sensors, and never used around any flammable objects. If you are using a fireplace to heat your home, make sure your chimney has been inspected for the season and you practice all recommended fire-safe habits.

Decorate with care. Winter holiday decorations such as string lights are festive and fun, but they can introduce more dangers as well. Around 25% of fires of Christmas trees are started by decorations, but by checking your cords for wear and tear, unplugging everything when it will be unattended and safely plugging things into multiple outlets, you can greatly reduce the chances of this occurring.

If you have damage due to a house fire, you can depend on us to help. Contact us 24 hours a day to report damage and receive a quick response from our certified restoration technicians. Get in touch today.