IBHS Offers Tips to Keep Homes Safe, Warm and Dry This Winter

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Freezing weather can lead to ice dams and bursting pipes: costly problems for homeowners. But trying to stay warm, especially when heating costs could rise, may have people looking to alternative sources, which could be a safety threat.

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) recommends taking some of the following steps now, and being ready to act on the others when the forecast calls for bitter cold.

Outside the Home

Make sure gutters and drains in basement stairwells are clear of leaves and window wells are working properly.

Check the weather stripping around skylights and other roof openings.

Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes with caulking.

Remove garden hoses from outside spigots. Drain outdoor faucets when freezing temperatures are forecast.

Inside the Home

To prevent ice dams, make sure the attic is well insulated and no more than 10 degrees warmer than the outside air. Heat escaping through the roof will melt snow, which could refreeze at the roof's edge and force water under the roof covering, damaging the attic and walls of a home.

Maintain heat levels inside the home. Temperatures lower than 65 degrees could allow pipes inside walls (where it's colder) to freeze. Insulating pipes in exposed areas such as crawl spaces and basements will help. Also, open cabinets to let heated air flow beneath sinks.

Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets connected to pipes that run through an unheated or unprotected space. Or drain the water system, especially if your house will be unattended during cold periods

Make sure everyone in the home knows how to shut off the main water supply. If a pipe bursts, turning off the water quickly will help minimize damage.

For a demonstration of some of these steps, view the latest IBHS property protection video on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOQz2B6zI64.

Safe Heating

To avoid a fire, leave at least three-feet of open space around any heating appliance.

Be sure to turn off portable or space heaters before going to bed or leaving the home.

Do not use heaters that burn fuel such as kerosene inside. These types of appliances in closed places could start a fire and can also generate life-threatening carbon monoxide.

Install a carbon monoxide detector to alert you to any high concentrations of this deadly gas.

Always store combustible materials away from furnaces, fireplaces and portable heaters.

If you want to use a wood stove, it should meet current safety standards, be properly installed on a non-combustible base that can withstand intense heat, and the entire unit including stovepipe must be at least 36 inches from a wall or furniture.

Chimneys on wood stoves and fireplaces should be cleaned and inspected yearly. Be sure to remove the ashes using a metal container -- never use a cardboard box or plastic pail.

Test your smoke alarms once a month, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm once a year, or as soon as the alarm "chirps" warning that the battery is low. Hint: schedule battery replacements for the same day you change your clocks from daylight saving time to standard time in the fall.

For more information on fire safety, visit the National Fire Protection Association at www.nfpa.org.

The Institute for Business & Home Safety works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices. www.DisasterSafety.org