Holiday Safety Tips Part 2

Holiday Safety Tips

With the Holiday Season upon us, On The Level Home Inspections wanted to share some basic Holiday tips. We have broken this into 2 articles. This one concerns tree, lighting, and decorations. The previous article concerns cooking (including safety tips for deep frying that turkey), fireplace safety and security. We want to wish you all a Very Happy & Safe Holiday Season.

Christmas Trees
Artificial- If you are buying an artificial tree, look to make sure that it is labeled “Fire Resistant”. If you purchase a metal tree, Do Not use electrical lights. The tree can become electrified and someone can get electrocuted.

Fresh- For fresh trees, freshness is the key. When choosing that perfect tree look for missing/brown needles. Gently run your hand along a branch to see how many needles come off. When an excessive amount of needles fall off, the tree is drying out and will be more prone to fire. If the tree is pre-cut, check the base of the trunk. It should be sticky with resin. Tap the tree up and down a few times and see how many needles come off. When you get your tree home, cut 1 to 2 inches off the bottom of the trunk just prior to putting it in your stand. This will help ensure that your tree will be able to start soaking up some water. It also helps to keep the tree level in your stand. Keep the tree at least 3 feet from fireplaces or heat sources. Also keep the tree away from foot traffic and blocking doorways. Top off the water level every day. This will help ensure your tree doesn’t dry out and help it look great throughout the Holiday Season.
Lightning and Decorations

Lightning-

• Only use indoor lights indoors (and outdoor lights only outdoors). Look for the UL label. Check lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, and loose connections. Replace or repair any damaged light sets.

• Use no more than three light sets on any one extension cord. Extension cords should be placed against the wall to avoid tripping hazards, but do not run cords under rugs, around furniture legs or across doorways.

• When displaying outdoor lights, fasten them firmly to a secure support, with insulated staples or hooks to avoid wind damage. Never nail, tack or stress wiring when hanging lights and keep plugs off the ground away from puddles and snow. And always plug the outdoor lights into a functioning GFCI outlet.

• Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
• Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving the house or going to bed.

Decorations-

• Use caution with holiday decorations and whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.

• When putting up holiday decorations, always use the proper step stool or ladder to reach high places. Don’t stand on chairs, desks or other furniture. For more on basic ladder safety, see our article Ladder Safety.

• Keep decorations at least 6 inches above the child’s reach.

• Avoid using tinsel. It can fall on the floor and a curious child or pet may eat it. This can cause anything from mild distress to death.

• Place older ornaments and decorations that might be painted with lead paint out of the reach of small children and pets.

• Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them.

• Poinsettias are known to be poisonous to humans and animals, so keep them well out-of-reach, or avoid having them.

• Keep any ribbons on gifts and tree ornaments shorter than 7 inches. A child could wrap a longer strand of ribbon around their neck and choke

Candles

Candles start almost half of all home fires related to decorations. Minimize your risk with these candle safety tips.

• Avoid using candles when possible. Consider using battery-operated candles in place of traditional candles.

• Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.

• Never leave an open flame unattended. Keep burning candles within sight.

• Place lighted candles away from combustible material such as other decorations and wrapping paper.

• Take care to place candle displays in locations where they cannot be knocked over.

• Always use non-flammable holders.

• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other greenery.

• Extinguish all candles before you go to sleep, leave the room, or leave the house.

We hope that you found this information useful. Please feel free to share with your friends and families. If you have any questions regarding this article, please feel free to email On The Level Home Inspections or call 609-607-0485. If you have any suggestions for future articles, or you would like to comment on this one, please let us know. If you or anyone you know is in need of a home inspection, please keep us in mind.

Thank you.
John Harashinski
On The Level Home Inspections
609-607-0485
Please stay connected with us via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Linked in.

Holiday Safety Tips Part 1

Holiday Safety Tips

With the Holiday Season upon us, On The Level Home Inspections wanted to share some basic Holiday tips. We have broken this into 2 articles. This one concerns cooking (including safety tips for deep frying that turkey), fireplace safety and security. The next article concerns tree, lighting, and decorations. We want to wish you all a Very Happy & Safe Holiday Season.

 

Cooking

• Have a plan. Consider your refrigerator, freezer and oven space, and how you'll manage to keep hot foods at 140 degrees or higher and cold foods at 40 degrees or below. If you need to use coolers, make sure you have plenty of clean ice and check it frequently to be sure the ice hasn't melted. Don’t rely on the natural outdoor temperature on the porch to keep foods at proper temperature.

• Cook to proper temperature and use a thermometer. There is simply no other way to determine that food has been cooked enough to kill bacteria. Turkeys, stuffing, side dishes, and all leftovers should be cooked to at least 165 degrees and kept above 140 degrees during serving, to be sure that any potential bacteria is destroyed. Foods that require refrigeration should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Remember the golden rule: Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.

• Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of preparation. Leaving food out too long is one of the biggest holiday food safety problems. When food sits outs for more than two hours in the danger zone (above 40 degrees and below 140 degrees) it is prime for bacterial growth. Make sure the refrigerator is not over-packed and there is plenty of air circulating around the food so it can be properly cooled.

• Properly defrost your turkey, or buy a fresh one. If you choose a frozen turkey, allow 24 hours per 5 pounds to defrost in the refrigerator. Do not defrost the turkey on the kitchen counter. You can also defrost in a clean kitchen sink, as long as it is in a leak-proof package, changing the water every 30 minutes. Defrosting in the microwave, if it’s big enough, is also acceptable. Just follow the directions on the package.

• Wash your hands thoroughly and often -- before, during, and after food preparation.

• Wash all fresh produce. Wash even prepackaged greens, to minimize potential bacterial contamination. Make sure kitchen counters, sponges, cutting boards, and knives are all well scrubbed.

• Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees. Microwaves heat in an uneven manner. Let the covered food sit for a minute or two to let the heat destroy any bugs, then check the temperature all around the plate.

• Keep guests out of the kitchen (Good luck on that!). Holidays occur during cold and flu season. It is important to prevent anyone from picking at the food while it is being prepared. Recommend serving simple appetizers to give guest something to nibble on until the meal is ready.

• Never put a spoon used to taste food back into food without washing it.

• Always keep raw foods and cooked foods separately, and use separate utensils when preparing them.

• Be sure to keep hot liquids and foods away from the edges of counters and tables, where they can be easily knocked over by a young child. Be sure that young children cannot access microwave ovens.

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.

Safety Tips for Deep Frying Turkeys

• Fryers should always be used outdoors, on a solid level surface, and a safe distance from buildings and flammable materials.

• Never use a fryer on a wooden deck, under a patio cover, in a garage or enclosed space.

• Do not overfill the fryer.

• Never leave the fryer unattended because, without thermostat controls, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.

• Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use or after use, as the oil can remain hot for hours.

• Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts and wear long sleeves and safety goggles to protect from splatter.

• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and dry before it is placed in a fryer.

• Keep an all-purpose fire extinguishers nearby.

• If a turkey fryer fire occurs, call 911 immediately.

Fireplaces

• Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area.

• Check to see that the flue is open.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

• Check smoke detectors

• Use this link for more detailed information regarding Fireplace Maintenance and Safety.

Security

• Use your home burglar alarm system.

• If you plan to travel for the holidays don’t discuss your plans with strangers.

• Have a trusted friend or neighbor keep an eye on your home.

• Careful when using social media to discuss your travel plans.

Lastly, please drink in moderation. It is recommended to have a glass of water in between drinks, with plenty of food. This will help keep you hydrated, allowing you a more festive experience. Never, under any circumstance, let anyone drink and drive.

We hope that you found this information useful. Please feel free to share with your friends and families. If you have any questions regarding this article, please feel free to email On The Level Home Inspections or call 609-607-0485. If you have any suggestions for future articles, or you would like to comment on this one, please let us know. If you or anyone you know is in need of a home inspection, please keep us in mind.

Thank you
John Harashinski
On The Level Home Inspections
609-607-0485
Please stay connected with us via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Linked in.

Fireplace Maintenance and Safety

 

Wood burning fireplaces

While wood burning fireplaces have a certain charm, they also require a good deal of inspection and maintenance. First and most important is to have an annual inspection and chimney cleaning, by a qualified chimney contractor. Not only will this help your fireplace to burn and heat your living space more efficiently, it can help prevent a chimney fire and reduce potential carbon monoxide, increasing your family’s safety. The tar like substance that builds up inside the chimney is creosote. It is highly flammable. If you burn more than 3 cords of wood a year, it is recommended to have the chimney cleaned twice a year.

Fuel- You should only burn split and dried hardwoods. Hickory, white oak, beech, sugar maple, and white ash burn longest, though dry firewood is more important than the species. Never burn things like crates, lumber, construction scraps, painted wood, or other treated wood. They can release chemicals into your home, compromising your air quality. Log starters are fine for getting your fire going, but they burn very hot, generally only use one at a time.

Dampers- Next to keeping a clean chimney, the damper operation is vital. The damper should easily open and close, and stay in the position needed. The damper must be in the fully opened position when starting your fire, and remain there until the fire is completely out. When there is no more smoldering ash and the fire is completely out, close the damper. When closed, the damper should be form a tight seal. A well sealed damper, and the use of tight fitted glass doors, will help keep from drafting the heat, from your primary heating system. If the damper does not seal well, consider a top mounted damper. They generally form a tighter seal. To safely burn your fire, build it slowly adding more wood as it heats up. Burning the fire hot will help keep smoke from lingering in the fireplace and reduce the amount of creosote buildup. Make sure you have a smoke and carbon monoxide detector installed near the fireplace.

Gas fireplaces

Those of you who have gas fired fireplaces know how easy and relatively maintenance free there are. The best thing you can do to get ready for the winter months is to light your pilot light in the early fall. If the pilot light will not stay lit, have it inspected and repaired immediately. The most common cause for the pilot light not staying on is that the thermo-coupler is bad. This is a safety device that prevents the gas valve from opening, when there is not any heat sensed from the pilot light. Do not try to bypass this safety feature under any circumstance. While there are many makes and models of gas fireplaces, I have listed below a basic set up guide for lighting the gas fireplace.

• Make sure that all gas valves are open.
• Turn the control knob to the “pilot” position. ( if you have a remote control, turn the remote control box to the manual position )
• Press the control knob all the way in. If the control knob does not press in, the control knob is not in the “pilot” position.
• While keeping the pilot knob pressed in, repeatedly hit the electronic igniter until the pilot light lights. Do not release the pilot knob at this time. Keep the pilot knob pressed in for at least 30 seconds, while the pilot light heats up. Release the pilot knob. The pilot light should remain on. If the pilot light goes out, repeat the above steps and keep the pilot knob pressed in for 1 minute after lighting. If the pilot light goes out again, most likely you have an inoperative thermo-coupler. Have the unit serviced.
• After successfully lighting the pilot light, turn the control knob to the “on” position. ( If using a remote control, turn the remote control box to the remote position )

You’re now ready to sit back and enjoy your fireplace. Make sure you have a smoke and carbon monoxide detector installed near the fireplace.

We hope that you found this information useful. Please feel free to share with your friends and families. If you have any questions regarding this article, please feel free to email On The Level Home Inspections or call 609-607-0485. If you have any suggestions for future articles, or you would like to comment on this one, please let us know. If you or anyone you know is in need of a home inspection, please keep us in mind.

Thank you
John Harashinski
On The Level Home Inspections
609-607-0485
Please stay connected with us via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Linked in.

Ladder Safety

Ladder Safety  
Here at On The Level Home Inspections we often write articles that will sometimes require you to use a ladder. So we wanted to write a basic safety checklist for using ladders. Please use extreme caution and care whenever you are on a ladder. If you are not comfortable with heights or being on a ladder, please call a professional.

• When putting up holiday decorations, always use the proper step stool or ladder to reach high places. Don’t stand on chairs, desks or other furniture.
• If you have to use a step ladder near a doorway, lock or barricade the door and post signs so no one will open it and knock you off the ladder.
• A straight or extension ladder should be placed one foot away from the surface it rests against for every four feet of ladder height.
• When you climb, always face the ladder and grip the rungs to climb – not the side rails. Always keep three points of contact on the ladder whether two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand.
• When climbing, keep your hips between the side rails and do not lean too far or overreach. Reposition the ladder closer to the work instead.
• Use ladders with slip-resistant feet and wear clean, dry and slip-resistant shoes when climbing a ladder.
• A straight or extension ladder should be placed one foot away from the surface it rests against for every four feet of ladder height.
• When using ladders outdoors, get down immediately if high winds, rain, snow or other inclement weather.

We hope that you found this information useful. Please feel free to share with your friends and families. If you have any questions regarding this article, please feel free to email On The Level Home Inspections or call 609-607-0485. If you have any suggestions for future articles, or you would like to comment on this one, please let us know. If you or anyone you know is in need of a home inspection, please keep us in mind.
Thank you.
John Harashinski
On The Level Home Inspections
609-607-0485
Please stay connected with us via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Linked in.