As the seasons change and the weather turns colder, Monmouth Fire Captain Craig Cozadd says calls of service see an increase as homeowners turn to alterative heat sources and cold and flu season kicks in. Captain Cozadd offers tips to remember when heating your home during the months ahead:
“The big thing with us is heating appliances in your house are supposed to be heating appliances, so don’t use your oven to heat your home because it is not set up to do that, especially if it is a natural gas or LP gas, it is going to put off carbon dioxide. As far as alternative heat sources other than that, space heaters; first of all make sure they are plugged directly into the wall and don’t use extension cords. That is where most of the fires start when they are plugged into a power strip. The other big thing with a space heater is they are to only be used why you are sitting there, but when you leave the room, you turn it off because they are not meant to run long periods of time with a lot of heat power strain on them and that is where the fires start. Make sure your carbon dioxide detectors are up and running. Have one on each floor and 15 feet within sleeping areas.”
Captain Cozadd also reminds homeowners to check and change furnace filters routinely.
