Homes are more likely to catch fire during the winter than any other season. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are your family’s first line of defense from fires and poisonous gas. It’s important they work properly year-round, but this time of year it is critical.
Winter is the worst time of year for house fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association, because of holiday decorations, heating, candles and winter storms.
“The cold weather brings with it an increased risk of danger to ourselves, our loved ones and our homes,” said Clark Public Utilities Energy Services Supervisor DuWayne Dunham. “That’s why it’s critical your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are always functioning correctly.”
Electrical outlets, which are easily overloaded by holiday decorations, space heaters and other household objects, can burn up. Incandescent lights, space heaters and candles can quickly ignite nearby materials such as drapes or blankets. Dirty chimneys can catch fire. Finally, storms can knock down wires into flammable objects.
Research by Underwriters Laboratories, an independent science safety company, found that about 30 years ago people had about 17 minutes to escape a house fire, but modern building and home furnishing materials burn much faster, giving people only three to four minutes to escape a fire.
Carbon monoxide poisoning risks spike during the winter because well-meaning but misguided people take the wrong steps to stay comfortable. During especially cold periods or power outages some people bring liquid-fueled space heaters, lanterns, barbecues and even generators indoors to stay warm — not realizing the deadly amounts of carbon monoxide those products release.
Carbon monoxide is a silent and odorless killer. The symptoms — confusion, nausea and headaches among them — can be easily rationalized as symptoms of a cold, or other health problems.
Protect entire home
Every home should be equipped with both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The larger the home the more alarms it will need. Ideally, smoke detectors are interconnected. In those conditions when one goes off, all of them will, alerting the entire home of the danger — not just one area.
Test your smoke alarms once a month. If your alarm chirps periodically, it’s time to replace the battery. Replace any smoke alarms that are 10 years or older.
If your smoke alarm goes off while you’re cooking, consider replacing it. Many new smoke alarms can differentiate between harmless cooking smoke and real fires. Newer models can also detect fast-burning and smoldering fires.
Unlike some poisonous gases, carbon monoxide doesn’t settle or rise. Because it’s constant in the atmosphere, you can place a carbon monoxide detector either near the floor or near the ceiling.
Most are good for at least seven years before being replaced. Some carbon monoxide detectors give a real-time read of your home’s carbon monoxide levels. But even a basic carbon monoxide detector is adequate to protect your family.
“If you’re willing to spend a little more, there are units on the market that combine smoke and carbon monoxide detection, test themselves for issues and connect to your phone,” Dunham said. “You’re able to control those devices and receive real-time updates to your phone.”
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
