Home Safety Tips
Here is some vital information that you can share with your customers, from the GroupOne Team.
Did You Know?
- Every floor should have a Fire Extinguisher located in an easily accessible place. Additionally, make sure everyone, including children, knows how to use them.
- Make sure all sleeping areas are equipped with smoke detectors and test them periodically as indicated by the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Do not leave cardboard on or by the furnace. Do not leave cardboard in the furnace room at all.
- Properly dispose of all used oily rags and flammable materials.
- Keep your home tidy. Don’t allow paper products or other combustible materials to accumulate around heaters or lamps.
- Take notice of dampness around windows, as this moisture can cause mold. Remove moisture with a dry cloth or paper towel and try to determine and address the cause of the moisture. If mold has already begun to grow, remove it with a mold killing cleaning solution to prevent it from spreading.
- Know the neighbor. It is always a good idea to have a good relationship with one of your neighbors. They can keep an eye when you are out of town or if anything unusual takes place at your home while you are not there.
Burning Candles
Based on data from Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and B.C., it is estimated that each year between 1999 and 2008 candles were responsible for an average of nearly:
800 candle fires in Canada |
Yearly average 8 fire deaths |
Yearly average 115 fire injuries |
$26.2 million in property damage |
While Candles are a cozy and inviting decorating choice for cold winter months. Here are some fire safety tips to remember when using candles:
- Trim candle wicks to a height of 5-7 mm (1/4 inch) before lighting the candle. Trim them again every 2-3 hours to prevent high flames.
- Take extra care if you are burning candles with more than one wick. Avoid buying candles with multiple wicks that are close together.
- Use well ventilated candle holders that are sturdy and will not tip over. Avoid wooden or plastic holders, as these can catch fire. Use caution with glass candle holders, which can break when they get too hot.
- Keep candles at least one foot away from anything that can burn. This means at least one foot above the candle as well.
- Never drop objects, like matches, into candles.
- Keep burning candles away from materials that can catch fire (like curtains, decorations and clothing). If your clothes catch fire, “Stop, Drop and Roll.”
- Use extreme caution if you carry a lit candle. Hold it well away from clothing and anything combustible as you walk along.
- Extinguish all candles when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Keep burning candles out of reach of children and pets.
