More winter safety tips from Gehringer Mechanical

With the bad weather upon us, and as rain turns to snow then eventually ice, it's important to make sure that you've made those last minute preparations to your home for winter. If you remember our previous blog entry on "How To Properly Winterize Your Home" and followed those steps, you are well underway to having a safe winter.

In our previous entry, we discussed that Gehringer Mechanical offers portable generators and backup energy sources for your home in the event of the loss of power. Quite often, when people lose power they will also seek the use of portable space heaters to reduce the amount of energy being used by the backup generator. 

We'd like to remind you of some safeties issues brought to you by our friends at the National Fire Protection Association regarding space heaters.

Based on 2005-2009 annual averages:

• Heating equipment fires accounted for 18% of all reported home fires in 2009 (second behind cooking) and 22% of home fire deaths.
• Space heaters, whether portable or stationary, accounted for one-third (32%) of home heating fires and four out of five (79%) of home heating fire deaths.
• The leading factor contributing to home heating fires (26%) was failure to clean, principally creosote from solid-fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys.
• Placing things that can burn too close to heating equipment or placing heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattress, or bedding, was the leading factor contributing to ignition in fatal home heating fires and accounted for more than half (53%) of home heating fire deaths.
• Half (49%) of all home heating fires occurred in December, January and February.

Generators and Backup Power Sources from Gehringer Mechanical

With the pending severe winter weather coming, it's best to be prepared for all possibilities. One of those possibilities that we know all too well in the Pennsylvania area is power loss. To keep vital elements active such as heat and light, we'd recommend that you use a backup power source or generator that will keep you going until the utility companies can restore normal service. Gehringer Mechanical offers a full line of backup power sources and generators. We can assess your needs for power based upon your home during one of our service calls. Feel free to contact Gehringer Mechanical for more information about these items.