Fall is here and winter is coming! While this time of year is happy for many, certain dangers and risks come with traditional celebrations. Here at Brothers Plumbing, Heating, and Electric, we aim to help keep you and your family safe and secure this winter season. Check out our safety hints, tips, and reminders below to help keep you safe this season!
Be Careful What You Put Down The Drain
For many, this time of year mean lots of tasty food and homemade treats. With this influx of tasty goodies comes sink and appliance problems. Put a screen over your drain (even if you have a garbage disposal) and ensure you don’t put anything down the drain that shouldn’t be there. Things to avoid include fat and grease from cooking meats and food particles. Remember, no one wants to deal with a clogged drain during the fall and winter. If you end up with a clogged drain, our professional drain-cleaning plumbers can help resolve the situation before it worsens.
Use Your Garbage Disposal Often And Correctly
Garbage disposals are great tools for removing easy-to-grind food and waste. So go ahead, use it to your heart’s content! But be careful what you put in there. Do not put coffee grounds, egg shells, or even tough fruit and vegetable skins at your disposal. Also, avoid poultry skin and fat, as these can gum up the works (so to speak). If you wonder if it can go in the disposal, it’s better to compost it or throw it away in the trash.
Prevent Frozen Pipes
With winter comes colder weather and an increased risk of freezing pipes. Since water expands as it freezes, it causes extensive damage to plumbing systems with less-than-moleable pipes. To prevent freezing pipes, you can have us here at Brothers Plumbing, Heating, and Electric come out and install piping insulation. You can also take preventative measures and pour antifreeze down drains (a small shot glass or tiny Dixie cup is all you need down each toilet and sink).
Again, since water expands as it freezes, you should always fix any small leaks or broken pipes before winter arrives. Doing so will help prevent small leaks from becoming a flood risk. If you would like to learn more about preventing frozen pipes, visit our Prevent Frozen Pipes page today!
Watch Out For Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a toxic, odorless, and colorless gas. Almost anything that uses combustion produces carbon monoxide. Your furnace, water heater, boiler, stove, and even your oven can produce carbon monoxide. While it can be dangerous, it is also quite easy to avoid. Have Brothers Plumbing, Heating, and Electric install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to help keep you safe. You can also have us repair and replace any dangerous equipment. Visit this page to learn more about carbon monoxide detectors.
Upgrade to a More Efficient Furnace or Air Conditioner
Almost half of your home’s energy is spent on heating and cooling, making this area a great place to focus. Older units can be inefficient and cost you much more in utilities than a new model would do a better job. Newer furnaces and air conditioners are also programmable, so you can set them to only be on when you are home, so you don’t waste energy heating or cooling an empty house. Energy Star rates furnaces and air conditioners so you can discuss which models you’re interested in for your home with your installer and ensure your new unit will be the most efficient possible.
Winter Decoration Safety Hints, Tips And Reminders
Here are some simple yet potentially life and property-saving hints, tips, and reminders regarding your winter and holiday decorations: Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and are all functioning properly.
- Inspect electrical decorations (lights and the like) for damage to prevent fires
- Don’t overload electrical outlets; use surge protectors for lights when possible (no one wants a flaming Christmas tree).
- If you celebrate with live trees or boughs in your home, make sure they are well watered and fire-safe.
- Do not put real candles on your tree and then light them. To prevent fires, use battery-operated decorative candles.
- Keep cords safe from pets and children.
- Stay in the kitchen while cooking. Fires can happen to anyone at any time. It is always better to be on the scene to react as necessary.
- Turn off all lights and decorations before you leave the house and right before you go to bed. It is unsafe to leave a tree and holiday display lit up while sleeping.
If you would like our team of professionals to ensure your smoke detectors are all functioning as they should, or if you would like them installed or replaced, we offer smoke detector services. Click HERE to learn more.
Brothers Plumbing, Heating, And Electric Has You Covered
Here at Brothers, we pride ourselves in helping families have a safe and happy fall and winter season. We can help ensure your home is secure and your celebrations aren’t cut short by some preventable disaster. Don’t let your festivities come crashing down due to a preventable problem. If you have any questions or concerns about anything plumbing, heating, cooling or electric this season, remember: Brothers has you covered.
We offer professional plumbing services in the following locations:
Learn more about our HVAC services in the following locations:
