Tips to keep your family safe

Several safety hazards may exist in your home, and you might not even realize it. Follow these tips to ensure your home remains a safe haven for your family.

• See that window glass that is less than 18 inches off the floor is rated as safety glass.
• Equip windows with childproof latches if sills are less than 2 feet above the floor orif they're located on upper stories.
• Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees, which will help prevent scalding injuries.
• Keep flammable materials and liquids several feet away from gas furnaces and water heaters.
• Make sure your garage door opener has an automatic reversing mechanism and a photoelectric sensor that prevent the door from closing should you, your children, or your pets get in the way.
• Install fencing or shrubs around steep slopes in your yard to protect children from tumbling down.
• See that all interior and exterior stairs have a railing on at least one side, and that it's mounted securely.
• Make sure decks, porches, and balconies have railings and that the spindles or balusters are spaced no more than 4 inches apart to prevent children from slipping through.
• Keep tire extinguishers in the kitchen and garage.
• Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors near bedrooms and any combustion equipment, such as the furnace . Replace appliance cords that have torn insulation, and don't touch any wires that may be exposed.
• Outfit electrical outlets near water sources with ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), which immediately cut electrical flow when touched with water.

Facts On Carbon Monoxide

1. The National center For Health Statistics says Carbon Monoxide is to blame for 3500 accidental deaths and suicides each year in the United States alone. It is the NUMBER 1 cause of all deaths by poisoning.
2. The cause of CO poisoning is often a faulty fuel-burning furnace, oven, water heater, space heater, wood stove, or fireplace. The best way to reduce your risk is to MAINTAIN those appliances.
3. A device to measure the air is an essential backup and you should have at least one CO detector, preferably in a hallway or sleeping area. If the alarm does go off and you're feeling sick (flu- like symptoms), get immediately out of the house and call the fire department or your furnace company. If the alarm sounds and you don't feel ill, shut off the possible sources of CO and ventilate the house as quickly as possible. Still call a qualified technician or your fire department for further advice as to how to handle your respective situation.

Carbon monoxide poisoning kills hundreds of people each year. Many that do not die are sickened by it. In fact, sometimes, carbon monoxide poisoning has been misdiagnosed as the flu. In short, your heating system may be making you sick, and have the potential to do even worse. To help with this often-undetected danger, our technicians will come to your home and conduct a full inspection on your system for safety. We will report to you any problems and make recommendations as needed.