With winter fast approaching and cold weather already upon us, we would like to remind everyone to have their homes ready for the season. Simple steps can prevent unnecessary disaster.

1. Have your chimneys and fireplaces professionally cleaned and inspected.

2. Have your furnace serviced by a licensed technichian.

3. Turn off any outside water connections to avoid frozen pipes. If you are going away, leave your heat set in you home to a suitable temperature to again avoid frozen pipes and have a someone check you home both from the interior and exterior daily.

4. If you use portable space heaters, make sure they are away from any furniture and curtains. Also make sure they are not in an area where children can touch them. Avoid using your oven as a source of heat.

5. If using candles, make sure they are a minimum of 12 inches away from flammable items and in an area where they cannot be knocked over. Be sure to extinguish any candles prior to leaving the home or going to sleep.

For holiday fire safety tips visit our fire safety page.