The holiday season is here. But there is still time for a few do’s and don’ts on outdoor safety from John A. Kinkaid Heating & Air Conditioning for your family and home this holiday season.
1. Hanging Outdoor Lights
DO: Keep electrical cords off the ground.
DON’T: Attach electrical cords or lights to metal rain gutters.
DO: Use insulated tape or plastic clips to fasten lights or electrical cords outdoors.
DON’T: Use metal nails or tacks to hold lights and electrical cords in place.
2. Using Ladders
DO: Choose the correct ladder for the job.
DON’T: Settle for a ladder that is too short and try to rig it to make it work anyway.
DO: Check for certification marks to ensure your ladder meets the applicable safety standards.
3. Clean Your Gutters
DO: Clear your rain gutters of any debris before hanging outdoor lights, electrical cords, or other decorations on the outside of your house. Overflowing gutters could cause water to run down over outdoor lights and electrical cords and become a fire hazard.
DON’T: Let debris build up after decorations have been put up. Even if you clean out your gutters before decorating the outside of your home, you still need to check your gutters regularly to ensure debris is not building up again. This is especially important after storms or windy weather.
4. Clear Your Roof of Snow and Debris
DO: Clear your roof of snow and debris before hanging outdoor decorations on your house.
DON’T: Leave debris on your roof. Cleaning out your gutters does no good if you leave debris on your roof. The debris from your roof will just wash down into your gutters, undoing all your hard work.
5. Give your HVAC a tuneup
Be sure to get your HVAC system serviced in time for the holidays! If you’ve gone to all the work of decorating your home inside and out, you don’t want it ruined by a faulty HVAC system, leaving your family out in the cold.
Contact us in the Willow Grove area at 215-657-1262 and in the Ambler area at 215-646-5577. Or contact us online to request an appointment today!
