Residents of Houston, Texas don’t typically deal with the same type of winter weather hazards and issues that our Northern neighbors suffer. In fact, Houston is listed as one of the warmest U.S. cities during the winter months. Even so, Houstonians need to watch out for the hazards that lower temperatures present. Call a T&Z handyman to inspect your home after reading this post; they’ll make sure your home or office is safe from major fire hazards.
Fires during winter months cause an average of $2 billion in damages and 900 deaths each year. While we are past the biggest day of the year for cooking fires (Thanksgiving Day), we need to watch out for other fire hazards in the home, and even the office! The holiday season is a busy time of year, so call a handyman at T&Z All Services to take care of it all for you. Things to watch out for include:
Crowded kitchen/kitchen clutter:
When someone says there are “too many cooks in the kitchen,” it’s because too many bodies are increasing the risk of an accident happening in an already-risky situation. Open flames or hot stoves, cooking oil, kitchen towels or other flammable kitchen implements, combined with the distraction of so many other people is a recipe for fire. Keep the number of holiday guests in the kitchen to a minimum if possible, and be sure you have a working fire extinguisher on hand. A T&Z professional handyman will be happy to check all your major kitchen appliances to make sure they are in proper working order.
Electrical heating equipment (portable heaters and radiators)
Give your space heaters the space they need. Keep them at least three feet away from other objects (especially flammable ones) and make sure the cord is in good shape. Frayed or exposed wires could cause a spark or electrical fire. Avoid using a power strip to plug these in, also. Have your outlets inspected by a qualified handyman. It will also be worth checking if your windows are energy efficient. Having energy-efficient windows can cut heat loss by up to 20 percent , keeping your home warm and saving you money. Investing in energy efficiency can benefit you in many ways. Your heating needs to be checked regularly to keep on top of any issues that may arise, sometimes a DIY repair can make things worse or only put off the inevitable of it breaking down fully.
Fireplaces
They’re a great place to get cozy, but you have to keep up with them. Wood particles build up over time as you use your fireplace. Eventually, these particles could catch a flame and cause a chimney fire. Make sure Santa has a clear way in! Call T&Z All Services; we’ll send a handyman out to take care that dirty job for you!
Any other repairs or maintenance that you just don’t have time for? You know what do, contact T&Z All Services; we have handymen all over Houston, ready to get the job done in time for Christmas!