See also: Fire-Proofing Your Home: A Handy Guide

When Should You Turn on Your Heat?

Every home is different. In less insulated homes with older windows and doors, heat can quickly escape which causes temperatures to drop much faster than they would in newer homes. Typically when someone asks when to turn on the heat, they’re trying to find a balance between comfort and energy savings. So when trying to decide if it’s time to turn the heat on, consider this:

The U.S. Department of Energy says that heating your home typically accounts for more than 40% of your utility bill. So, if cost savings are important to you, you should avoid turning on the heat too soon. Once the heat is on, it’s recommended to keep the thermostat as low as is comfortable while you’re home, and dropping it to as low as 55° when you’re sleeping or away. As a general rule of thumb. If it’s colder than that, turn on the heat.

Follow These Home Tips Before the Weather Gets Cold

The biggest risks that homeowners face come when temperatures get too cold typically have to do with fires, freezing pipes, or energy costs. We’ll show you how to deal with all three. Kicking on the furnace poses a fire risk, and freezing pipes can occur even in homes that are well-insulated. That’s why it’s important to make an effort in early fall of each year to prepare your home for the colder weather ahead.

To Prevent Furnace Fires

According to the National Fire Protection Association, over 350,000 house fires occur every year in the United States. Over 15% of these are caused by heating equipment like boilers and furnaces! Not only is keeping a maintained furnace important for saving energy, it could save your home!

Inspect Your Furnace

You should have your furnace inspected by an HVAC professional every year. Furnaces use fuel like natural gas, oil, or propane — all of which are highly flammable. A gas leakage could expose your home to fire risks and unsafe levels of carbon monoxide.

Clean Your Fireplace and Chimney

Wood burning fireplaces are a delightful way to bring your family together and also heat your home. If they aren’t properly cared for, however, they can pose a serious fire hazard. The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends chimneys and fireplace be swept at ⅛” of sooty buildup. Too much soot building up in the chimney cause a fire that spreads.

Test Smoke Alarms and Replace Batteries

Testing smoke detectors is one of the simplest, but most overlooked fire safety measures. The U.S. Fire Administration says that smoke alarms should be tested every month. Batteries should then be replaced every year. If you have monitored smoke detectors through your alarm company, many of these are often self-testing. Contact your alarm company to see if yours are self testing or if you should be checking them monthly.

To Prevent Freezing Pipes

Sometimes the risks of house fires are overlooked, but every homeowner thinks about freezing pipes when winter rolls around. When water freezes it expands, which could cause pipes to burst. Bursting pipes are one of the most common causes of property damage, costing people thousands of dollars every year says the American Red Cross.

Drain Water from Outdoor Lines

Drain water of pipes in uninsulated areas of your home such as ones that run out to an exterior hose or outdoor faucet. Without the excess water in these pipes, you will leave room for the water to expand when it freezes.

Add Insulation

If you’re unable to shut off the water and drain these pipes, you can always add insulation using a pipe sleeve or heat tape. This can make all the difference in areas that might be exposed. If the weather is very cold, you could even allow the water to drip slightly to help prevent it from freezing. A little insulation goes a long way, but depending on the temperature, it might only be a short term fix.

Use a Smoke/Heat/Freeze Detector

A furnace malfunction can quickly cause home temperatures to drop. If you’ve ever had to hire a late night HVAC professional, you’ve experienced this first hand. When you’re home, you can do things such as run the water while waiting for repairs to prevent freezing. However, if you’re away on vacation, you might not know of the malfunction until you come home to a chilled home — and then it’s too late. A smoke/heat/freeze detector separates all three functions. So, you can be notified on your phone of rapid rises and falls in temperature as well as smoke.

To Prevent Ridiculous Energy Costs

Utility bills spike when the weather gets colder. Even when we wait until the last possible moment to crank up the heat, it’s still an added expense that everyone wants to avoid. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do now that will cut your energy costs significantly come winter.

Install a Connected Thermostat

Connected thermostats are programmable and can be controlled from your smartphone. They are smart. So they can turn down when you’re away and automatically adjust for comfort when you come home. On average, connected thermostats save our customers $10-$15 a month in energy costs — the energy efficiency is backed and tested by Energy Star.

Seal Drafty Windows

Older windows and doors can warp from years of use which causes cold air to leak through. Use caulking or weatherstrips around your windows to seal these gaps. You can also purchase window insulation kits to seal the entire window with plastic wrap. This not only helps save you money, but it’ll stop that draft and make the room feel significantly warmer.

It’s the Best Time to Prep Your Home

The best time to prepare for winter is in early fall before the temperatures get too cold. Just like you try to tackle all of your home renovation projects in the spring before it gets too hot, you have to avoid the elements. Once winter rolls around, you’ll be glad that you took the time to prepare your furnace, your pipes, and your windows. When the utility bill comes around — you’ll see the reward for your hard work!

Know someone who just moved into a new home? Share this article with them to help get them ready for their first winter!

The post Before You Turn on the Heat, Check These Cold Weather Tips for Homes appeared first on Safehome Security.

With summer just around the corner, you’re likely enjoying the warm weather in Hartford, CT. But with the pleasant atmosphere and beautiful foliage comes a risk of potential wildfires. Fires can strike at any time, so it’s important to invest in a fire alarm system that can keep you informed and alert the authorities when one happens. But the best way to fight a fire is before it starts. Here, we’ll show you how you can fire-proof your home this year so you can sit back and enjoy the season.

See Also: The Questions You Should Ask Before Investing in Smart Home Automation

Start Outside

Fires can start anywhere, but the ones you can’t prevent are often the most dangerous. Wildfires are a serious threat, especially as the air begins to dry up and the temperature begins to swelter. Ensure that your yard and home exterior are fire-resistant to minimize potential damage.

While planning your landscape, be sure to set resistant plants and foliage along the perimeter. Plants like live oak, sycamore, and lavender don’t catch fire easily, so they can help prevent it from spreading into your yard.

Additionally, you can use flame-resistant materials for the exterior of your home. Brick and concrete for the walls; tile and metal for the roof. These materials will make it much less likely that your home will catch fire.

Consider Your Interior

Many fires in old-construction homes start due to faulty wiring. If you’re moving into an older home, ensure your technology installation partner takes a look at the wiring as they retrofit the space with smart technology solutions. If your installer isn’t a certified electrician, they can put you in touch with a trusted one.

Among the smart features you can enjoy, consider a fire alarm system that integrates with your lighting and entry system to make alerts and escape easy. A monitoring partner can notify the fire department if there’s an emergency or turn off the alarm if it’s falsely tripped.

Of course, you can also stay safe by keeping heat sources clear of flammable debris, ensuring fire extinguishers are within easy reach, and by cooking in well-ventilated areas.

Consult a Professional

At Safe Home Security, we’re dedicated to protecting your property. If you’re interested in learning more about smart fire safety tips, click the button at the bottom of your screen to start chatting with a live representative today.

Or just click here to schedule a free consultation and start your smart security upgrade as soon as possible.

The post Fire-Proofing Your Home: A Handy Guide appeared first on Safehome Security.

A house fire is something you never want to have happen to you or your family, but it’s crucial to do what you can to mitigate the potential damage if a fire does occur. It may not seem likely that a fire could happen to you – especially in a rainy, wet part of the country like Orlando – but about 3,500 people died from fires in the U.S. in 2016, according to federal statistics. U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 358,500 home structure fires per year from 2011 to 2015, causing about $6.7 billion in direct damage per year on average.

So what can you do to help protect your home and your loved ones from the ravages of a house fire? A fire alarm system is a good first step, but Safe Home Security wants to do everything we can help you and your family stay safe. We’ve put together this list of steps you can take to minimize the potential fallout from a fire at your home.

SEE ALSO: More security news from Safe Home Security Inc.

START WITH ALARMS

As we mentioned above, having working smoke alarms in your home is the bare minimum to help keep you and your loved ones safe. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends having at least one alarm on every level of your home, and they also suggest placing additional alarms inside bedrooms and outside other sleeping areas. Test your alarms at least once a month and replace any alarms older than 10 years.

Of course, alarms don’t do you a lot of good if you can’t get a fast response when something happens. You may have just a few minutes to escape your house, and it’s certainly not unheard of for fires to happen when a family is away from their home. A smart alarm system can send alerts to your phone or other device if something happens, allowing you to take the appropriate action and alert the authorities.

OTHER SYSTEMS TO CONSIDER

Alarms are essential when it comes to fire safety, but there’s much more you can do. Consider installing smart locks on your doors; if these locks are linked to your alarm system, you can set them to unlock automatically in the event of an emergency, saving you precious seconds when you’re trying to escape your home.

Another possibility is an automatic HVAC system. Smoke is a much greater hazard than the flames themselves when a fire occurs, so you want to minimize the spread of smoke throughout your home. An automatic HVAC system shut off can help confine smoke to the area where the fire started, giving you extra time to make your escape.

UPGRADE TO PROFESSIONAL MONITORING

Just because you’ve never had a fire at your home doesn’t mean one couldn’t happen. To get the best protection possible, subscribe to a professional fire monitoring service. That way you can rest easy knowing somebody is watching out for you 24/7 and can send help if something happens. To see what services Safe Home Security can provide for you, call us at 800-833-3211 or visit us online.

The post 3 Steps to Better Prepare Your Home for a Fire appeared first on Safehome Security.