It’s that time of year again, where our time is consumed with preparations for the season. Iron View Inspections offers helpful hints to keep the season jolly. Take a few hours one evening to follow these steps and reduce your worries. With all the warm wet weather we have been having in the GTA these hints might be especially welcome.
1. Clean out dryer vents as lint can build up to narrow the heat ventilation and cause fire.
2. Change the furnace filter.
3. Install carbon monoxide detector near your mechanical room (furnace and hot water tanks). They make great safety gifts too as the law will soon require every home to have one.
4. Test fire alarms and be sure to have one on every level of your home.
5. Keep humidity levels at norms. Added company body heat and cooking will stay in check by running your bath and kitchen fans a few hours each evening.
6. Before stringing lights check for frayed ends or cracked covers and loose connections.
7. Use strands that have fused plugs for the out of doors strings.
8. Invest in ground fault interrupter outlets for outdoor lights to minimize risk of shocks and shorts due to moisture and water build up.
9. Check extension cords intermittently for over-heating and change them if they are hot to touch.
10. Don’t hang lights with staples, tacks or nails as they can pierce wire and cause fire hazard. Use insulated hooks instead.
11. Tie off your ladder when stringing on high trees,poles or roofs. It is wise to tie yourself off too.
12. Have someone standing by as you string lights just in case you need assistance. Two always make the work more fun anyway.
13. Use chord protectors or tape down cords running on the ground or flooring to prevent trips.
14. If you are the type who likes the real tree be sure to water it liberally to prevent tinder drying.
15. Turn all lights off when you are not home or have them monitored on a timer.
Happy Holidays/ Merry Christmas