If you’re like us, you’ve probably already been experiencing some of the bitter weather that has been rearing its head over the past few weeks.
With the drastic drop in temperature, it’s no wonder many of us are turning on the heating appliances and stoking our fires to warm up our homes. However, it is incredibly important that we make sure that the ways that we are making our homes a more bearable temperature are safe.
Accidental house fires are preventable disasters and you can reduce the risk by following a few simple safety guidelines and using your common sense.
Install a Smoke Alarm
Every house should have a smoke alarm. No matter how annoying they can get when you are attempting to cook, it is an essential piece of kit that could save your life. According to the London Fire Brigade, six out of ten people who died in house fires last year had no smoke alarms and neither did over half the people who were injured in a house related fire.
There is no reason not to install a fire alarm; they are cheap and easy to install and incredibly simple to maintain. Make sure that you test them once a month by pressing the test button to ensure that the batteries are still working and the unit still functions.
Electric Heaters
Not everyone benefits from having the warming presence of a real fire and some resort to using electric blankets and heaters to warm smaller areas of their home.
Heaters are incredibly dangerous, especially if they haven’t been used for a while and have become incredibly dusty. Be sure to give your heater a thorough clean before you switch it on to reduce the risk of the dust catching fire.
It’s also essential that you do not cover the heater with any flammable material. Using the easy to remember “metre from the heater” rule, be sure to keep objects well away from the appliance (or fire!) to avoid them catching fire.
Electric Blankets
We love getting into a warm and cosy bed, especially when the weather outside has chilled us to the bone, but contrary to many people’s belief, an electric blanket shouldn’t remain turned on while you are sleeping.
Not only are you putting yourself at risk of overheating in your sleep, you are also increasing the risk of causing a fire if you disturb the electrical components while they are turned on.
You should only use your electric blanket to warm the bed before turning it off. Don’t place anything heavy on top of the blanket and make sure that you check the wire is intact before turning it on to avoid any potential fire hazard and never leave it on unattended.
Making sure that your home is warm and safe this winter is essential and we hope that you are doing everything in your power to ensure the safety of your family and your property when heating your home.
If you are still looking for a way to warm your home against the winter chill or even invest in one of our beautiful outdoor fires in London, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at Real Flame. Call our team today on 0207 731 5025 and a member of our dedicated team will be happy to take your call. Make sure you have liked us over on our Facebook and Twitter pages to keep up to date with our latest news!
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