For many Texas families, winter means curling up with a book, a video game, or another favorite indoor activity as temperatures drop. Unfortunately, for some families, winter can also mean a house fire, a severe burn injury, or injuries caused by partial suffocation due to a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide gas from broken or defective heating equipment.
Winter is the most common season for household fires caused by heating equipment, according to the United States Fire Administration (USFA). Experienced Texas personal injury lawyers urge all families to put “prepare for safer home heating” on their New Year’s to-do list. Here are some steps you can take to reduce your injury risks while still enjoying a quiet winter indoors:
- Make sure all your heating equipment is clean and in good working order. The USFA estimates that 87 percent of all home heating fires are caused by problems with wood stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and flues. A professional can help you make sure your equipment is installed properly and works correctly.
- Invest in smoke detectors. Install a smoke detector on every floor of your home and in every bedroom. Test the smoke detectors and change the batteries at least twice a year. A carbon monoxide detector can also help your family avoid injury from inhaling this colorless, odorless gas.
- Create a home fire safety plan. Make sure your family members know where to meet if they must leave the house quickly due to a fire. Make sure family members can exit in at least two ways from every bedroom.
The Texas trial attorneys at Brown Trial Firm, PLLC wish everyone a safe winter season.