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Supplemental Heating Equipment Can Add Warmth, but also Danger in the Home
Omaha & Surrounding Areas (October 20th, 2011) – October is National Fire Safety month, and Power Crew is celebrating it by providing a series of safety tips that homeowners should know. This is the third of five releases with helpful information, and it discusses an important topic:
Eliminating Home Fires Due to Supplemental Heating Equipment.
According to the Home Safety Council, the second leading cause of home fires is supplemental heating equipment, such as portable heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces.
“If something combustible is placed too close to one it can catch fire due to the radiant heat or sparks from a fire,” Jason Amato, owner of Power Crew, said. “That’s why we warn so many people about using portable heaters in bedrooms, especially considering they will be asleep and unable to react should a fire occur.”
Here are some home safety tips relating to supplemental heating equipment that everyone should know:
- Never leave a heater working if you are out of the room or asleep.
- Purchase space heaters and other electrical equipment and wood stoves that have been tested for safety and listed by a testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
- Make sure that portable heaters have a tip-over feature that will automatically turn it off if tipped over.
- Read operating instructions before use and keep the instructions handy for referral.
- Use space heaters that have guards that help prevent combustible items from coming in contact with heating elements.
- Move all combustibles three feet away from space heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves when in use.
- Closely supervise children so they stay a safe distance away from the wood stove, fireplace, or space heater when in use.
- Install wood stoves in compliance with local building and fire codes.
- Install a barrier between the wood stove and the floor to protect combustible flooring from extreme heat.
- Have fireplace and wood stove chimneys inspected each year and cleaned of built-up creosote as needed.
- Have chimney connectors inspected every year and cleaned as necessary.
- Keep a sturdy screen in front of the fireplace opening to keep hot embers inside.
- Maintain a safety distance of three feet for all combustibles from the furnace and water heater also.
- Have your furnace serviced each year before the heating season.
- Store volatile products such as paint thinner in the garage or shed away from the house.
- Gasoline is highly flammable and should never be brought into the home. It should be stored in an approved gasoline container in a garage or shed, away from children hands.
Of course, another safety concern of portable heaters is the extension cords used with them. Extension cords should not be coiled up while plugged in, and they should not be underneath carpet or rugs: both are major fire hazards.
During National Fire Safety month, homeowners can receive a 100 percent free fire safety inspection by a trained electrician from Power Crew. The electrician will identify potential fire hazards, as well as check all smoke detectors and install new batteries. In addition, he will inspect the home’s electrical panel/fuse box, all outlets, and all other electrical components to ensure that none are malfunctioning and a fire risk.
“This is a typical $129 service, but we’re doing it for free to raise awareness. It’s a big concern that we want to alert as many people as possible to,” Amato explained
For more information on Power Crew, visit www.MyPowerCrew.com and to schedule a free electrical safety inspection, call 402-333-2222.
For more information contact:
Jason Amato
General Manager/Owner
Power Crew, The Electricians Who Protect You
P.O. Box 540393
Omaha, NE 68154
402-333-2222
PowerCrew@Mail.com
www.MyPowerCrew.com
Immediate News Release from Power Crew
How Homeowners Can Eliminate the Number One Cause of All Home Fires
Power Crew Offers Safety Tips as a Part of National Fire Safety Month
Omaha (October 5th, 2011) – October is National Fire Safety month, and Power Crew is celebrating it by providing a series of safety tips that homeowners should know. This is the second of five releases with helpful information, and it discusses an important topic: eliminating home fires due to cooking equipment.
According to the Home Safety Council, cooking equipment creates more home fires than anything else.
“When in the kitchen, it can take just a momentary lapse of concentration, and you have a potentially serious problem on your hands,” Jason Amato, owner of Power Crew, said. “And you should never leave anything cooking while unattended. That’s a recipe for disaster.”
Here are some kitchen safety tips everyone should know:
- Remove or distance combustibles that are stored near the cooking surface, including curtains, decorations, and towels.
- If interrupted while coking, turn the burner to low, and throw a towel over your shoulder or carry a spoon with you as a reminder to return quickly to the range after taking care of the interruption.
- When frying with oil, never leave the pan and heat it slowly so the oil doesn’t reach the ignition point. When finished cooking, turn the burner off, move the pan to a cool burner, and put a lid on it.
- If you should have a pan fire, put a heavy oven mitt on and slide a lid over the pan from front to back. Then, turn the burner off. This method is a better option for household pan fires than fire extinguishers, which if used improperly can spray burning grease out of the pan, actually spreading the fire.
- Store pan lids near the cooking surface so you don’t waste time locating one if you have a pan fire.
- Never move the pan when there is a fire in it.
Of course, cooking equipment isn’t the only cause of home fires. Faulty electric is among the most common as well. That’s why during National Fire Safety Month, Power Crew is offering 100 percent free fire safety inspection. This includes checking all smoke detectors and installing new batteries. In addition, trained electricians will inspect the home’s electrical panel/fuse box, all outlets, and all other electrical components to ensure that none are malfunctioning and a fire risk.
“This is a typical $129 service, but we’re doing it for free to raise awareness. It’s a big concern that we want to alert as many people as possible to,” Amato explained
For more information on Power Crew, visit www.MyPowerCrew.com and to schedule a free electrical safety inspection, call 402-333-2222.
For more information contact:
Jason Amato
General Manager/Owner
Power Crew
The Electricians Who Protect You
P.O. Box 540393
Omaha, NE 68154
402-333-2222
PowerCrew@Mail.com
www.MyPowerCrew.com
Immediate News Release from Power Crew
Sixty Two Percent of Home Fire Deaths are
Due to Families Not Having Smoke Detectors or Having Smoke Detectors that No Longer Work
Power Crew Offers Safety Tips as a Part of National Fire Safety Month
Omaha (September 27th, 2011) – October is National Fire Safety month, and Power Crew is celebrating it by providing a series of safety tips that homeowners should know. This is the first of five releases with helpful information, and it discusses an important topic: protecting homes and families from the potential of fire and smoke.
According to the Home Safety Council, more than 3,000 people die from fires each year. Eighty percent of those occur while in the home; the majority of those happen when people are sleeping.
“A fire can build and grow in just minutes. That can cause poisonous gas to build up in a home easily. If you’re asleep, it’s an extremely dangerous situation. That’s why smoke alarms are the most important thing all people can have in their homes,” Jason Amato, owner of Power Crew, said.
According to the National Fire Protection agency, 62 percent of home related fire deaths resulted because the home didn’t have smoke alarms, or the alarms were not functional. “If your smoke alarms are over 10 years of age, I can’t emphasize enough to have them replaced, or at least inspected at the very least,” Amato continued.
Here are some smoke alarm safety tips everyone should know:
- Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home as well as outside sleeping areas.
- For additional protection, install a smoke alarm in each bedroom. This is the code requirement in Omaha as well.
- Alarms should be tested every month and the batteries replaced at least once a year.
- Install alarms near the highest pitch of the ceiling, at least four inches away from the wall.
- Avoid placing alarms too close to the kitchen and bathrooms where fumes and steam can result in false alarms.
- Purchase smoke alarms that are listed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
- Install special alarms for anyone in your home who is deaf or hearing impaired.
- Test smoke alarms after returning home when away for more than a few days.
“The best smoke detectors people can have today are interconnected smoke alarms. If one signals, all of them throughout the home will simultaneously chirp. This provides families maximum safety—they don’t have to wait until the smoke or fire is perilously close to alert you,” Amato added.
During National Fire Safety Month, Power Crew is offering 100 percent free fire safety inspection. This includes checking all smoke detectors and installing new batteries. In addition, trained electricians will inspect the home’s electrical panel/fuse box, all outlets, and all other electrical components to ensure that none are malfunctioning and a fire risk.
“This is a typical $129 service, but we’re doing it for free to raise awareness. It’s a big concern that we want to alert as many people as possible to,” Amato explained
To schedule a free electrical safety inspection, call 402-333-2222.
For additional information, contact:
Jason Amato
General Manager/Owner
Power Crew
P.O. Box 540393
Omaha, NE 68154
402-333-2222
www.MyPowerCrew.com
PowerCrew@Mail.com
New Year’s Resolutions….in October?
Hi Neighbor –
One of my resolutions is to stop procrastinating. With that in mind, I’m starting my New Year’s resolutions in October this year! Here are some practical resolutions that I thought you might also find useful:
• Get a complete physical examination from your doctor.
• Join a gym before January 1. This way, you’ll avoid putting on pounds over the holidays, and you’ll be a seasoned vet by the time the resolution crowd shows up.
• Call a travel agent in January or February to discuss summer vacation options and to make sure you get the best travel and hotel rates.
• Test your smoke alarms twice a year — like on the first day of Daylight Savings Time in April and on the day Daylight Savings Time ends in October.
• Get your air conditioning unit checked and cleaned each spring, and do the same for your heating system in the fall. Maintaining your systems will save you lots of money in the long run.
• Volunteer at a local shelter, orphanage, or nursing home.
• Take up a new hobby, or explore new interests. This keeps life interesting.
• Have an elderly neighbor? Cut their grass, shovel their driveway, or rake their leaves… just because.
• Do a random act of kindness for someone, and keep it a secret.
• Write a co-worker or politician a note of praise when they’ve done a good job. Most people only feel the need to comment when they want to criticize.
• Take your car in for a tune-up. It works hard for you!
• Meet with a financial advisor to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your hard-earned bucks.
• Tell the people you love that you love them. And show them through your actions.
• Recycle, floss, travel, sleep, commit, explore, vote, and relax!
With great resolve,
Power Crew, “The Electrician’s Who Protect you!”
402-333-2222