24 Dec 2016
Home Fire Safety In Bergen County NJ

Home Fire Safety In Bergen County NJ

Home Fire Safety In Bergen County NJ It’s that time when many begin to think about what they might want to accomplish in the New Year. Considering that 83 percent of all fire deaths in the United States happen in homes, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is urging everyone to include some safety resolutions to keep their 2016 a healthy and fire-safe year. Home fire safety is very important to us, especially home fire safety in Bergen County NJ, our home.

Follow these tips to ring in Home Fire Safety In Bergen County NJ this New Year:

  • Make sure your home is protected by working smoke alarms. Half of all home fire deaths happen at night, when people are sleeping.
  • Test your smoke alarms once a month, and replace your smoke alarms when they’re 10 years old.
  • Cooking is the main cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Make safety your first ingredient; stay in the kitchen when you are cooking at high temperatures. Fires start when the heat gets too high. If you see any smoke or grease starts to boil, turn the burner off.
  • Candle with care. Unattended candles are an obvious fire danger. When you leave a room, blow out the candle. Or consider using flameless candles.
  • If you have children living in your home or visiting look for fire and burn dangers from their point of view. Never leave lighters or matches where children can reach them.
  • Practice fire drills at home. More fires happen in the home than they do at school, yet fire drills are practiced monthly at learning institutions. Select a meeting place. Discuss what to do about windows. And instill in children never to hide when there is a fire.

 

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article, “SFD: Fire safety should be among your New Year’s resolutions.” For more information, please visit www.scottsdaleaz.gov.

15 Dec 2016

Avoiding Water Damage From Ice Dams In Bergen County NJ

What are ice dams?

 

Avoiding Water Damage From Ice Dams In Bergen County NJIce dams are formed when melting snow and ice refreeze above the edge of a roof. Subsequent water from melting snow and ice backs up under the shingles. This causes leaks and water damage to the interior of your home. The key to avoiding water damage from ice dams in Bergen County NJ is to ensure proper ventilation, drainage, and insulation. Here are some basic steps that consumers can take:

 

  • Make sure gutters are clear of leaves and other
  • Your roof and attic should be inspected for proper ventilation and insulation.
  • Check and seal places where warm air could leak from your house to the attic. Light fixtures, vent pipes, exhaust ducts, chimneys, and attic hatches are often locations allowing warm air to
  • If you have soffit vents in your eaves, make sure they are not blocked. Insulation surrounding them should be secure so that air can flow

 

Additional Steps

 

  • Keep snow from accumulating on the lower three to six feet of your roof. Use specially made roof rakes to safely remove the snow.
  • Install snow and ice slides to prevent ice and snow from adhering to the lower section of the
  • Install a rubberized ice and water shield beneath the roof shingles for the first three to six feet up from the roofs
  • Install special heating cable along the roofs edge to melt

 

Ice Dam Removal

 

  • Do not use shovels, garden rakes, axes, etc. to remove or break-up ice dams. If you can safely reach the roof, fill a nylon stocking with calcium chloride ice melt. Place it vertically across the ice   dam so that it melts a channel through the dam. Make sure to use calcium chloride and not rock salt. Rock salt will damage your
  • Consult a roofing