Avoiding the Spookiest Household Risks of Halloween
Halloween is all about bringing out the scariest and spookiest décor and costumes. However, it is also a risky season for homeowners when you consider the potential of fire hazards and carbon monoxide leaks.
To keep your family safe, the team at Comfort Solutions HVAC shares a few useful tips for preventing fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other accidents so that you can enjoy the season with risk and stress.
Recommended Tips for a Safer Halloween and Fall Season
- Test Your Home’s Detectors: Go through the house and test all carbon monoxide detectors as well as the smoke detectors. Change batteries in your units if you have not done so in a few months. Make sure you have units installed on every level of your home, ideally one inside every room and outside of sleeping areas.
- Have a Heating Inspection: Before you kick on the furnace, bring in the team from Comfort Solutions HVAC to inspect and test your home’s furnace. This ensures everything is safe and that you have no potential carbon monoxide leaks to worry about.
- Candle Safety: If you can, avoid using live flame candles entirely. If you need the flickering ambiance of a real candle, use them properly. Do not place them near flammable items, keep them on a cleared, high counter, and blow them out before going to bed.
- Store Costumes Properly: When you stow away your costumes for the end of Halloween, avoid placing them in a utility closet next to your furnace or other gas-powered objects. Halloween costumes do not have the same flame retardant materials as regular clothing; therefore, they could easily cause a basement fire. Hats, wigs, beards, robes, and other costume accessories have synthetic materials that can easily catch fire from the tiniest spark, and allow it to spread.
- Décor Safety: Read the instructions that come along with your Halloween décor – especially electrical and outdoor decorations. Avoid using any flammable decorations and if you do, keep them away from heat sources. When using extension cords, use those that have been tested and labeled by independent testing authorities, such as UL.
Have a fun, festive, and warm Halloween by having your home’s furnace or heat pump maintained for the season. The team from Comfort Solutions HVAC offers our seasonal maintenance and tune-up to inspect, clean, and prepare your heating system for winter.
Request an estimate for your seasonal maintenance or call us at 610-438-9300 to schedule an appointment.
