Firefighters Know...Do You?
The flames of a fire, in a romantic, poetic setting such as a fireplace, campfire, etc., can be beautiful and relaxing. However, if the right precautions are not taken, fire can be dangerous, disastrous and a person’s worst nightmare. It can turn a person’s world up-side-down within seconds. Here are some safety measures that we can take so that this way we can enjoy the beauty of fire.
1. We all know that candles aren’t safe. The problem is that we don’t realize how unsafe jar candles can be. Jar candles seem to give people a sense of sec
urity since they are enclosed. What can happen to a mason-jar candle is that the flame super-heats the glass, which possibly will result in the glass exploding. In this case, melted wax oozes out, along with the metal tab that contains the wick, which can then ignite the surface. When this scenario takes place, and it does, homeowners are always shocked because they thought that the jar offered foolproof protection. In reality, any candle that is three quarters of the way melted poses a risk and should be doused and discarded.
2. It may not be on top of our minds, but fires can start in the laundry room- often because of problems with dryer vents. Lint can and does collect in unexpected places. Your best defense is to check, every now and then, where the dryer vent attaches to the back of the appliance and the wall to make sure that it is securely attached. In the event that you find it to be loose, clean away all the lint from around the surrounding area and tighten the clamp using a screwdriver. ...continue reading