It’s cold weather time again. There are certain safety tips for around your house you may not have thought of. I asked Jody Victor®  to tell us about some.

Jody Victor®: Hey Steve, you couldn’t be more right. Here’s some safety tips everyone needs to follow no matter where you live or what your weather is like.

1. Have a trained professional inspect, clean and tune-up your central heating system. Have leaks and other problems repaired. Install new filters at least twice a year.
2. Make sure your portable/space heater has been tested for safety. Look for a label such as ETL, UL or CSA on the bottom of the unit. Place heater at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including furniture, window treatments, people and pets. Never use heaters to dry clothing or blankets.
3.  Always have an adult in the room when the portable heater is on. Supervise children and pets at all times. Turn off heater before leaving the room or going to sleep.
4. Keep gas appliances properly adjusted and serviced. Do not overload electrical circuits.
5. Do not heat your home with a gas stove or oven.
6. Never use a gas or charcoal grill inside your home or in a closed garage.
7. Portable electric generators must be used outside only. Never use them indoors, in a garage or any confined area that can allow carbon monoxide to collect.
8. Burn only seasoned hardwood like oak, ash or maple in your fireplace or wood-burning stove. Do not burn trash, cardboard boxes or Christmas trees because these items burn unevenly, may contains poisons, and could cause a home fire.
9. Make sure you have a working smoke detector in every room. Check and change batteries often.
10. Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home and check it regularly. If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector, watch family members for carbon monoxide poisoning. The most common symptom is headache. Other symptoms may include dizziness, chest pain, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases the person can become increasingly irritable, agitated and confused. Eventually the victim will become lethargic and lapse into unconsciousness. Call 911 and get the person to fresh air immediately and open windows.

Steve Victor