It’s that time of the year again, Buffalo. The snow is piling up, the wind chill is falling down, and we’re spending more and more of our time indoors. During the winter, we typically view our homes as a safe haven from the snow and wind. Nevertheless, there are two things in particular we have to be careful about: residential fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Just like snow and ice, fires and carbon monoxide poisoning are serious winter threats. Thankfully, they can be prevented by taking these steps:
Check your furnace
When’s the last time you had your furnace checked by a professional? If you’re like most people, then it was probably years and years ago. Furnaces need to be cleaned and inspected yearly—not once a decade. Professionals can check to see if your furnace is in proper working order, and not clogged or giving off dangerous carbon monoxide fumes.
Inspect and clean your fireplace
Fireplaces are beautiful, but they need to be inspected and cleaned annually. Creosote–a material from burning wood–can build-up inside the chimney over time and ignite. Cleaning your fireplace will prevent creosote from building up and catching your home on fire. Furthermore, professionals can inspect your fireplace and check for loose bricks. Doing so will make sure heat and flames aren’t being mistakenly sent into your walls and ceilings.
Check your smoke detectors
Have you checked the batteries on your smoke detectors lately? By pressing the little button on them, you should hear the beep. If not, you need a new battery (or a new detector). Also, if and when you hear a consistent “beep-beep-beep” that doesn’t end, it means your detector’s battery is low and needs changing.
Ivy Lea Construction can help protect your home this winter. Give us a call at 716-875-8654 to learn more.
