Keep Your Home Safe From Fires Year-Round

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

(NAPSA)—Abouthalf a million "Try buildings catch fire in the U.S. every year, reports the National Fire Protection Association. The change of each season is a timely opportunity to fine-tune your home’s fire safety. Keep the home fires from burning your house by heeding these seasonal hints. Spring Clear away dead plants and debris from around the outside of your house. eIf doing your spring-cleaning involves a lot of laundering of clothes and curtains, be sure to clean the lint filter in your dryer before or after each load of laundry. Removelint that has collected around the drum. *Make sure your dryer’s exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and the outdoor ventflap will open when the dryer is operating. Gas dryers should be inspected by a professional to make sure that the gas line and connection are intact. Turn the dryeroff if you leave home or whenyou goto bed. Summer elf you set off fireworks, make sure they’re legal. Always read the directions and warning labels. Don’t light fireworks indoors or near dry grass. Keep fire extin- guisher handy. When cooking outdoors, never add fluid directly onto lit grill. Never throw water onto thegrill. If you’re using a charcoalgrill, let the coals cool completely before disposing of them. Cover them with water and mix to ensure they’re all extinguished. Fall *Use battery-operated candles in Halloween jack-o’-lanterns. Make sure children’s costumes are madewith fire-retardant materials. *Use caution when burning leaves. Stay clear of the home and any other buildings. Winter Make sure your indoor and outdoor holiday lights are in good repair and used appropriately. Have your chimneyinspected annually and cleaned when necessary. Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace opening to prevent embers or sparks from jumping out, unwanted material from going in, and to help prevent Keep your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in good working orderall year round. the possibility of burns to occupants. Be sure the fire is out before going to bed. *Have your furnace inspected yearly. eIf you use an electric heater, be sure not to overload thecircuit. Candles are festive for the holidays and romantic on Valentine’s Day—but don’t leave them burning when youleave the room. At any time of year, see to it that every level of your home has a working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. Check and clean these monthly and change the batteries twice a year. New Fire-Safety Device To protect your home and family further, consider a new device that listens to your smoke and CO alarms and notifies your smartphone if they sound. The Leeo Smart Alert is easy to set up using the free app for iOS and Android. No tools or special installation is required—simply plug it in and set up with your existing Wi-Fi network. You can add contact informa- tion for friends, family members or neighbors. If there’s an alarm in your home and you don’t immediately reply to the Smart Alert’s calls and pushnotifications, it will contact your preset emergencylist until someone responds. The Smart Alert also functions as a night-light with customizable colors, and monitors your home’s temperature and humidity. New technology such as the Smart Alert can greatly improve your home’s fire safety throughout the year. Learn More For further fire-safety tips, see www.nfpa.org. For further facts, visit www.leeo.com or call (888) 487-LEEO.

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