FOR BREaAKING tNEWS VIhSIT WWWo.QNS.COmM e JANUARY 16, 2020 •AT HOME • THE QUEENS COURIER 61
Five winter home safety tips
When you see frost on the windows
in the morning, feel the crunch of
leaves underfoot and hear the roar of
fire in the fireplace, old man winter has
returned.
While you oft en hear about cold-weather
fashion and beauty essentials, there is
some maintenance your home needs too.
Give your sanctuary some love with these
fi ve steps from the home safety experts
at Kidde.
Clean Your Oven
Ranges and cooktops are involved
in 62 percent of home fi res, according
to the National Fire Protection
Association. Stovetops and ranges, in
particular, caused 87% of home fi re
deaths. Particularly in the winter when
comfort foods are prominent, it’s necessary
to clean your oven and stovetop to
remove grease and fat, which can ignite.
Always keep towels and oven mitts away
from hot appliances.
Keep a Kitchen Fire
Extinguisher Ready
Research from the National Fire
Protection Association shows about half
of all home fi res start in the kitchen, so
it’s important to have a fi re extinguisher
handy. Look for one specifi cally designed
for kitchen applications, and keep the
extinguisher behind you when cooking.
In the event of a fi re, there’s risk of burning
yourself if you must reach over the fi re
to grab the extinguisher.
Know Holiday Lighting Rules
About 75 percent of holiday tree fi res
happen in December or January, according
to the National Fire Protection
Association, making now the perfect time
to start being vigilant. Some rules of
thumb: use fl ame-resistant decorations,
utilize lights properly indoors or outdoors
and look for electrical decorations that
are approved by a nationally recognized
testing lab such as UL, Intertek or CSA.
Also avoid plugging more than three light
strings into each other; opt for a power
strip instead.
Check Your Smoke Alarms
Check your smoke alarms to ensure
they are less than 10 years old. Winter
and the holiday season are peak times
for home fi res, but according to industry
experts, few realize smoke alarms need to
be replaced at least every 10 years.
In fact, common misconceptions about
smoke alarm maintenance, such as hardwired
alarms don’t need to be changed,
can leave you more vulnerable. Smoke
alarms are just like every other appliance;
they need replaced periodically.
Th is includes units that are hardwired
into your home, even if you have changed
the batteries. If you’ve forgotten when
the alarms were installed, check the date
on the back of the smoke alarm. If you’re
interested in a long-term fi x, alarms are
available with a built-in 10-year battery.
When times comes to replace the unit, the
alarm will signal.
Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms
On average, one person dies each day
from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning
in the United States. CO is known
as the silent killer because you can’t see,
smell or taste this poisonous gas. During
winter months, CO incidents spike but
symptoms can easily be mistaken for
the fl u.
Natural gas furnaces, water heaters,
ranges, gasoline-powered tools, cars,
wood-burning stoves, fi replaces and more
produce CO. Because CO doesn’t rise like
smoke, it mixes with the air and can go
through drywall.
From plug-in to battery-operated and
LED display, CO alarms are available in a
range of options. Install alarms throughout
the home, particularly outside of
sleeping areas.
— Courtesy of Family Features
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