What are the chances that your home safety is less than adequate? If you aren’t following standard home safety practices, electrical, fire and chemical hazards could be putting you and your family at risk – and needlessly so. While it’s impossible to avoid using electricity, for instance, it’s fairly easy to promote optimal home safety.
Here’s an easy checklist to help make you feel better about home safety in your Western Colorado home.
Avoid fire hazards by taking these steps:
- Eliminate materials that will quickly catch fire. If you store boxes of old paper or clothing, or haven’t yet taken that old couch to Goodwill, do it now. Removing these items will decrease the chances of a fire quickly spreading in the home.
- Properly store flammable items. If you store flammable materials in your home, keep them away from electrical equipment, flammable liquids, gas-powered appliances and so forth.
- Maintain electrical and fuel-powered equipment such as water heaters, furnaces, heat pumps and A/Cs. Annual service keeps these types of systems operating safely, and ensures proper use of fuel and electricity.
To avoid chemical hazards:
- Store chemicals in a space that’s well ventilated. If you must store these items in the home, using a well-ventilated area for storing them ensures that any fumes are promptly ushered out of the home.
- Keep these items away from heating sources and open flames.
To avoid electrical hazards:
- Periodically check the cords on appliances, electronics and other electrical devices. Frayed cords or operating a device that smokes or sparks will compromise home safety. Don’t operate these devices, and promptly repair or dispose of them.
- Never overload an electrical outlet by plugging too many devices into it.
- Never allow wiring in outlets and light switches to remain exposed.
- Keep the space around electrical cords clear, and avoiding putting pressure on the cords by placing them under rugs or furniture.
What price do you put on home safety? Use this checklist to promote peak safety in the home, and contact Climate Control Company to schedule maintenance for your HVAC equipment. We’ve served Western Colorado homeowners since 1956. Call today or visit our website for more information.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Aspen, Vail and the surrounding Western slope communities in Colorado about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about home safety and other HVAC topics, please visit our website.
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