October is here and fall has officially begun which means we’ll begin seeing and feeling a steady decline in temperatures here in New York. In preparation for the cold months that lie ahead, we’ve put together a guide with tips and tricks on how to heat your home safely throughout fall and winter. Keep reading to make sure you stay warm and safe all season long.
Heater Maintenance
No matter what kind of heater you use to keep your home warm, the first thing you need to do before turning it on is to inspect it and schedule maintenance for it! During the maintenance appointment, a technician will be able to spot any issues that could arise with your unit and fix it before it turns into a disaster or you’re left with no heat on a cold winter night.
Regular maintenance will also help to extend the life of your heating unit, keep your system operating efficiently, lower your heating costs, and avoid the need for expensive repairs and replacements.
Space Heater Safety
Space heaters are such a convenient and portable way to keep warm. Whether you stow yours under your office desk to keep your toes toasty or near your bed so that you stay warm all night long, they’re great! However, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that space heaters are the cause of approximately 25,000 residential fires every year.
This doesn’t mean you need to throw your space heater out right away, but it does mean you should take some extra precautions when using it. Below are our top space heater safety tips:
Before tuning your space heater on this season, check its age. If you’ve had your space heater for more than 10 years then it’s probably time to get a new one.
Avoid wasting energy by purchasing a space heater that is thermostatically controlled.
Make sure your space heater is the right size for the space you’re trying to keep warm.
Place the heater on a level surface away from any foot traffic so that dogs, cats, kids can’t tip it over and potentially start a fire.
Shut it off and unplug it completely when you’re not using it.
When purchasing a new space heater the US Department of Energy recommends that you only purchase ones with an Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) label.
Fireplace Safety
There’s nothing quite like sitting in front of the warmth of a fireplace on a cold winter night but make sure you’re doing so safely. Here are a few of our fireplace safety tips:
Always clean out the ashes from the previous fire before starting a new one.
Make sure the damper is open before starting your fire, and leave it open until the last embers have stopped burning. This will allow smoke to escape your home, if it is closed all of the smoke will be left to circulate throughout the indoor air.
Clear out the area around your fireplace and make sure to never leave anything flammable near it.
Never leave the fire unattended, especially if you have children or pets in your home.
Dryer Safety
While your clothes dryer will never be used to keep your home warm, it still needs to be used safely. Did you know that over 2,900 residential fires are started every year because of dryers? And these fires are most common in the fall and winter months.
The leading cause of clothes dryer fires is a failure to clean them out. Make sure to remove lint from the lint trap after every load of laundry that goes through the dryer in order to prevent fires in your home.
When it comes to heating your home, it’s always better to be safe. Contact our team of professionals at Air Care Heating & Cooling NYC Inc with any questions you might have, and to schedule your seasonal maintenance!
Call us today at (718) 577-7215 or visit our website to learn more about what we can do for you!