Stay Warm and Safe This Winter
With memories of last year's snow and cold temperatures still lingering, follow these safety tips to prepare your house for the winter and holidays.
Heating systems: Inspect, clean, and change air filters once a month, or as needed. Check that your radiators, baseboard heaters, and warm-air registers are not blocked. Have a professional inspect your system for any blockages, examine electric connections, and look for signs of wear and tear.
Fireplaces and wood burning stoves: Have chimneys professionally inspected and cleaned to ensure there is no buildup of creosote, which can gather within chimney walls and is highly combustible. Make sure firewood is dry and seasoned and that fireplace screens are securely in place.
Portable and space heaters: Place the heating device three feet away from combustible materials or objects, such as paper or linen curtains. Turn it off whenever you leave home or go to bed. Check the electrical cord and outlet occasionally for overheating. If either does overheat, turn the heater off. Never run grills, camp stoves, or generators inside the house.
Smoke alarms: Test them at least once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year. It's also a good idea to check your carbon monoxide detector at the same time.
Holiday cooking: Unattended cooking is the number one cause of kitchen fires. Don't leave the kitchen when you’re frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food. Keep flammables like oven mitts, towels, or wooden utensils away from your stovetop.
Winter weather preparation: Store nonperishable food and water in clean, dry conditions. Create an emergency kit including a flashlight, extra batteries, first aid kit, extra medicine, and baby items. Store extra cat litter or sand to take care of ice on your walkways.
NJM Insurance Group’s Commitment to Safety
NJM’s enduring commitment to safety can be traced back to our earliest days — with a focus that has expanded from improving conditions in manufacturing facilities to helping keep customers safe on the roads and at home. NJM is a leader in personal and commercial auto, homeowners, and workers’ compensation insurance.
References:
National Fire Protection Organization (NFPA), “Winter Holidays,” https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Winter-holidays.
“Seasonal Safety,” https://www.esfi.org/home-safety/seasonal-safety/winter-safety.
Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov.
“Fire Safety Tips for Your Christmas Tree,” https://www.christmastreeassociation.org/resource-hub/fire-safety-tips-for-your-christmas-tree?rq=fire%20safety.