Keep Your Home Safe and Warm

With much of the country facing bitter cold temperatures, it’s important to know how to protect your home or small business from harm. Fires hazards, freezing pipes, and mice can all pose a threat to the safety of your space.

Read on for some tips to help you stay safe and warm.

Heating your Home:

1. Keep all objects at least three feet away from furnace, fireplace, wood stove, and space heater.
2. Do not use your oven to heat your home.
3. Make sure smoke detectors and carbon-monoxide detectors are working properly.
4. Make sure all fuel-burning equipment has proper ventilation to the outside.
5. Use a professional to install all heating equipment.

Freezing Pipes:

1. To avoid freezing pipes, keep your thermostat above 55°F at all times.
2. Wrap problematic pipes with electrical heating tape. Be aware that copper pipes are more likely to freeze than plastic ones.
3. Keep water flowing if you’re concerned about pipe freezing. Even a dripping faucet can help prevent frozen pipes.
4. Keep the air around pipes warm by opening cabinets under sinks or using a space heater if necessary.
5. In case of frozen pipes, use a hair dryer or a heating pad (never a flame) to thaw. Remember to keep the faucet open while you thaw.

Unwanted Rodents:

1. Seal any holes inside and outside your home, especially around wiring, vents, and cracks in foundation.
2. Keep all food, even pet food, secure overnight. Sweep floors each night to get rid of crumbs.
3. Set traps around the perimeter of rooms. When setting traps, use peanut butter as bait. Contrary to popular belief, it works better than using cheese!

Original content from lohud.com.