October Is Fire Prevention Month

October Is Fire Prevention Month. According to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), heating is listed as a top cause of house fires.  As the weather gets colder and we all begin to turn on the heat, we must take the time to follow these guidelines to be safe.

• Have your furnace inspected on a yearly basis by professionals. 
• If you have a fireplace, make sure the flue is cleaned out before starting a fire in it. Creosote builds up in your chimney, and it doesn’t take much for a chimney fire to start. Get your chimney inspected by a professional. 
• If you use a space heater, please click here and take a moment to read about space heater safety from our friends at PuroClean. 
• Make sure you have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

     Now is the time to check your heating systems to make sure they are ready for the arrival of cold weather! First Alert has some other helpful safety tips for fire prevention. Click here for those! We want you to be prepared and be safe this winter!

     Jane Freeman is licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance at Peck and Wood Insurance.