Home safety

If you’re adding a home addition, such as a new room or a screened porch, consider the new roofline carefully. If a power line will be near the completed addition, it may have to be moved before you begin. Contact us before you start your project. If a new extension violates any building guidelines, the problem will have to be corrected at your expense or electricity will be turned off to the home.

Settling down in front of a crackling fire is one of the treats of winter. But before enjoying your fireplace, take a few precautions to ensure you enjoy it safely:

• Hire a professional to inspect the fireplace every year before you use it the first time.
• Open the flue before starting a fire; close it when the fireplace is not in use.
• Keep fire embers from escaping with a glass door or mesh screen.
• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
• Never burn any type of trash or cardboard boxes in a fireplace.
• Do not leave a fire unattended.
• Keep a fire extinguisher handy.

Use only a grounded three-prong extension cord for outdoor work. Before you begin, check the extension cord for damage and replace it if it is defective. Consider ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) for any outdoor circuits to protect against electrical shock.

If you’re landscaping, don’t plant vines or plants that can grow up or near utility poles or guy wires. NEVER try to cut or remove a tree or branch that is or may be entangled with power lines. Keep bushy shrubs away from your electric and/or natural gas meter.

If you’re thinking of installing a swimming pool – whether it’s above- or in-ground – do not build it under electrical lines. An overhead power line could fall into your pool creating a dangerous situation.

Be careful when using metal extension ladders; they are natural conductors of electricity. Wooden or fiberglass ladders are better choices. ALWAYS carry your ladder parallel to the ground and look up before setting your ladder to ensure you are a safe distance from any overhead electric lines.