San Diego Home Fires... How To Prevent Them!

Did you know that Servpro of Point Loma is a big fan of Twitter (we're ServproPtLoma)!?  We think it's a great way to keep in touch with our friends, customers, and the local community!  It's also a great way to distribute important information on the fly.  One of our favorites to follow is the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.  They not only tweet up-to-date information about fires in San Diego county, but they also post extremely helpful fire safety and prevention articles on their website http://www.fire.ca.gov/.  The article below came straight from their education series.

Safe Home Heating

Home fires often occur during the cold winter due to dangerous heating equipment or unsafe practices. Here are some important safety tips to help keep your home safe and warm this winter:

• Never use flammable liquids or excessive amounts of paper to start or accelerate a fire.
• Charcoal gives off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide. Do not burn it indoors.
• Keep flammables away from heat sources. Wood stoves require a 36” clearance from combustible surfaces.
• The use of kerosene heaters inside the home is prohibited in California (Sec. 19881, Health and Safety Code).
• Keep children away from heat sources.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Wood stoves should be UL approved.
• Never attempt to heat a structure with a device that was designed for outdoor use, such as a camp stove.
• Have a professional inspect and clean your chimney, stovepipe and/or furnace annually. Do not attempt repairs yourself.
• Keep a metal or glass screen in front of the fireplace opening. Make sure the damper is open before lighting.
• Check furnace control and emergency shut-offs to be sure they are working properly.

For more tips and other helpful information, go to http://www.fire.ca.gov/.


*** Servpro of Point Loma is a Ready San Diego Business Alliance Member. Feel free to contact us anytime for safety tips! ***