6 Fall Child Safety Tips

9/16/2016

With the weather in Des Moines slowly shifting into pleasant fall temperatures, we’ll soon be breaking out the sweaters and raking up the colorful foliage in the back yard. This seasonal shift also means that the kids are back at school and the household schedule is busier and more rigid.

When the days get shorter and the weather becomes less inviting, families will be spending more time inside. So we end our week of child safety with some indoor tips for keeping the kids safe during the cooler seasons. The mix of restless kids, indoor heating components and bustling holiday events can make for a hazardous combination.

6 Child Safety Tips

We’ve gathered some essential tips from fire and electrical experts to ensure a safe and healthy fall and winter season.

1. Smoke Detectors. The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) recommends that smoke detectors be placed throughout the home, including one inside every bedroom – and one directly outside the bedroom. Alarms become even more important during the fall and winter when heating components such as furnaces, portable heaters, and fireplaces are used more frequently. Make sure that your kid’s rooms are appropriately covered – and be sure to test the detector batteries every month to ensure they are working.
2. CO2 Detectors. Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas that is undetectable by scent and is one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in the home. Keep your kids (and household) safe this fall with CO2 detectors installed on every level. Combination smoke and CO2 detectors are on the market and offer a more streamlined process for keeping your home safe. Proper Placement of CO2 Alarms
3. Fire Safety. Fireplaces and outdoor fire vehicles such as fire pits and chimneys will soon be a part of fall activities. Fire is a very attractive element to children and they should be heavily monitored when they are around open flames. Fire safety experts suggest that kids stay at least 3 feet away from fire or any hot-to-the-touch heating element. Try and make the 3 foot rule a talking point when discussing fire hazards with the kids. Remember to keep a protective screen in front of your fireplace and outdoor fire pit as ashes can easily escape and ignite a fire.
4. Space Heaters. Some homes might use a portable space heater to keep certain rooms warm. There could be several reasons for this, including drafty rooms in older homes that are difficult to keep warm or garages or workspaces that have no central air. Space heaters can be an efficient solution for keeping a room warm, but they also present a dangerous fire hazard if the necessary precautions aren’t taken. Children should never be left unsupervised in a room that contains a running space heater. Even with the 3-foot rule in effect, never leave children alone in a room with one – especially in a bedroom at night.
5. Candle Safety. In the fall and especially during the holidays, people will often burn candles to infuse a scent, add a festive ambiance or accent a holiday decoration. Again, open flames and children are a dangerous combination. This fall try using only “flameless candles,” which are made of plastic, give the appearance of a flickering flame and last much longer than real candles. They are also perfect for jack-o-lanterns and paper luminaries as they generate no heat and won’t burn the inside of the décor.
6. Lighting. Soon the sun will be setting earlier, which means there will be less light for kids who have after school activities or other events in the late afternoon. Make sure that there is enough light for them to safely enter the home and keep active in the early darkness. Test the front and back porch lights and replace dull or burnt-out bulbs. Also, make sure that there is adequate light in their bedrooms and places where they study.

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Heating and Cooling Des Moines Since 1997

Service Legends can help keep your household both safe and comfortable this fall with our emergency furnace repair service. Call us day or night if you have any trouble with your central air and we’ll set up a service call right away! Thank you for making Service Legends the #1 provider of residential heating and air conditioning in the Des Moines area. A live and friendly customer care representative is ready to take your call 24/7 at 515-COMFORT (515.266.3678).

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