Winter Weather is Coming
Winter means challenges to those of us on Skyline Ridge. When the power goes out and the pipes freeze, it’s good to remember a few cautions, courtesy of Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue:
Heat
• If using a fireplace or woodstove for heat, ensure the flue is unobstructed and the damper is open. Use a tight-fitting fireplace screen or glass doors to contain burning embers.
• Keep a close eye on your fire and keep it manageable. A fire that grows too large and hot can result in a chimney fire. Also, ensure your fire is extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
• Never use gasoline or lighter fluid to start a fire.
• Keep combustible materials (Christmas tree, furniture, paper, etc.) at least three feet away from fireplaces, woodstoves, and all heating devices.
• Ashes can rekindle and start a fire. Wait several days before cleaning out your fireplace or woodstove or dispose of ashes in a metal container with a lid, placed outside your home (not in the garage).
• Candles are a fire hazard. Use only flashlights, battery-operated lanterns, and light sticks as emergency lighting in your home.
• Never use outdoor equipment including propane or kerosene heaters or charcoal barbecues inside, due to the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that claims hundreds of lives every year.
• Check your smoke alarms to ensure they are working and install a carbon monoxide detector as a precaution.
Water
• Make sure all members of the household know how to shut off the home’s water supply in case of a burst or leaking pipe. Even if pipes do not burst, water freezing in them can cause them to expand and crack, with the leakage not noticed until the water thaws.
• Pipes located in exterior walls can freeze even if they’re insulated. Help them by leaving a trickle of water running from the faucet and/or keeping cabinet doors open, if applicable, to let interior air warm the wall and pipes.
• Exposed pipes in the attic, basement or crawl space can freeze. Leaving a trickle of water running from a faucet farthest away from the water meter can help.
• Wrap insulating material or electrical wire heating wrap around the pipes.
• Never use a propane torch or open flame to thaw a pipe. You could ignite wood beams, flooring and other nearby combustible materials. Hair dryers should also be avoided due to the risk of electrocution.
RR1009
Winter means challenges to those of us on Skyline Ridge. When the power goes out and the pipes freeze, it’s good to remember a few cautions, courtesy of Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue:
Heat
• If using a fireplace or woodstove for heat, ensure the flue is unobstructed and the damper is open. Use a tight-fitting fireplace screen or glass doors to contain burning embers.
• Keep a close eye on your fire and keep it manageable. A fire that grows too large and hot can result in a chimney fire. Also, ensure your fire is extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
• Never use gasoline or lighter fluid to start a fire.
• Keep combustible materials (Christmas tree, furniture, paper, etc.) at least three feet away from fireplaces, woodstoves, and all heating devices.
• Ashes can rekindle and start a fire. Wait several days before cleaning out your fireplace or woodstove or dispose of ashes in a metal container with a lid, placed outside your home (not in the garage).
• Candles are a fire hazard. Use only flashlights, battery-operated lanterns, and light sticks as emergency lighting in your home.
• Never use outdoor equipment including propane or kerosene heaters or charcoal barbecues inside, due to the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that claims hundreds of lives every year.
• Check your smoke alarms to ensure they are working and install a carbon monoxide detector as a precaution.
Water
• Make sure all members of the household know how to shut off the home’s water supply in case of a burst or leaking pipe. Even if pipes do not burst, water freezing in them can cause them to expand and crack, with the leakage not noticed until the water thaws.
• Pipes located in exterior walls can freeze even if they’re insulated. Help them by leaving a trickle of water running from the faucet and/or keeping cabinet doors open, if applicable, to let interior air warm the wall and pipes.
• Exposed pipes in the attic, basement or crawl space can freeze. Leaving a trickle of water running from a faucet farthest away from the water meter can help.
• Wrap insulating material or electrical wire heating wrap around the pipes.
• Never use a propane torch or open flame to thaw a pipe. You could ignite wood beams, flooring and other nearby combustible materials. Hair dryers should also be avoided due to the risk of electrocution.
RR1009