Warmer Weather and Fire Safety Precautions | SERVPRO® of St. Joseph

7/14/2021 (Permalink)

Bonfire Crackle

Restoring fire and smoke damage is one of our specialties. Contact SERVPRO of St. Joseph to learn more.

It was a cold, cold winter this year, so many people have been looking forward to the warmer months for some time now. Warmer months typically bring people outdoors more, lounging around and enjoying that life has slowed down a little.

When you think of warmer days, you don’t typically think of fires, but believe it or not, spring sees more daily fires on average than any other time of year. While the risk is high, you can take precautions that will help.

What exactly should you pay attention to? These three areas are a good place to begin:

The grill. The grill tends to get lots of notice about being a fire risk and for good reason—it’s one of the most common ones. Grills create the perfect combination of flames, heat, grease and gas, which can make things escalate quickly. So what can you do to be proactive? Verify that the grill is in good working condition, have it placed at least three feet away from everything and clean it before each use. Cleaning the grill before each use is really important because almost 20% of grill fires are due to poor cleaning.

Fire pits. There’s nothing better than sitting around the fire pit, having conversations with friends and having the kids run and play! While it seems like a no-brainer, oftentimes things happen in a instant, so be sure to never leave your kids unattended around the fire. It’s also important to keep a bucket of water nearby or have a hose that’s handy. You should never add leaves or pine needles to the fire, and finally, put the fire out slowly to avoid scattering embers.

Chimneys and dryer vents. Yearly maintenance on your home is crucial, and the warmer months present a great time to get it done. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned out on a regular basis to help avoid a dangerous buildup of ashes. Another maintenance tip is to clean your dryer vent pipes for trapped lint, since it can build up even if you always clean out the lint trap.

If you encounter fire damage, no matter the cause, we have technicians on hand ²⁴⁄₇! Our trained technicians will be there fast and have it cleaned up soon. Contact SERVPRO of St. Joseph today to experience the SERVPRO difference.