THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL...

It is a pretty safe bet that a majority of the United States has weather that could warrant lighting up the fireplace and creating a warmer (if not romantic) atmosphere over the holidays. With all the crazy weather, it is quite possible that we end up NEEDING it when the power goes out!

Like with every good thing comes a risk if you are not prepared and careful. Sparking up that fireplace is no different.

According to the United States Fire Administration, more than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes.

Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes.

Before you light up the hearth or that wood stove, make sure you have done the proper maintenance on that chimney!

Here’s some Safety Tips for you…

Keep Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean

* Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
* Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
* Leave glass doors open while burning a fire. Leaving the doors open ensures that the fire receives enough air to ensure complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney.
* Close glass doors when the fire is out to keep air from the chimney opening from getting into the room. Most glass fireplace doors have a metal mesh screen which should be closed when the glass doors are open. This mesh screen helps keep embers from getting out of the fireplace area.
* Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door.
* Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.
* Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
* Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.


Protect the Outside of Your Home

* Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet away from your home.
* Keep the roof clear of leaves, pine needles and other debris.
* Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester.
* Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.

This is not all you need to know. For more information, CLICK HERE

Pats and Thanksgiving

“Don’t be giving that to the dog!”

I hear that a lot at Thanksgiving. After all, the kitchen is a frenzied mess and food is flying so it only makes sense to toss a few things to Mac who is lying on the floor right in the middle of it all. For the bigger chunks, we of course, have a St. Bernard just outside the door. The argument is always that “it is okay” because dogs can eat anything.

Turns out, that is not true; in fact, in an article I recently read put out by the ASPCA, I found out that there is A LOT of Thanksgiving food we probably should not be feeding our pets.

The article made a pretty good point: pets won’t be so thankful if they munch on undercooked turkey or a pet-unfriendly floral arrangement, or if they stumble upon an unattended alcoholic drink.

Here are some of the tips they had in the article…

Turkey
If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it’s boneless and well-cooked. Don't offer her raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria.

Sage
Who would have guessed this one? Sage is used in a lot of dishes at Thanksgiving but it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression to pets if eaten in large quantities. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils.

Bread Dough
Don’t feed your pets raw bread dough and if you drop some, pick it up right away. According to ASPCA experts, when raw bread dough is ingested, an animal's body heat causes the dough to rise in his stomach. As it expands, the pet may experience vomiting, severe abdominal pain and bloating, which could become a life-threatening emergency, requiring surgery.

Cake
If you’re baking up Thanksgiving cakes, be sure your pets keep their noses out of the batter, especially if it includes raw eggs—they could contain salmonella bacteria that may lead to food poisoning.

Too Much
A few small boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie shouldn’t pose a problem. However, don't allow your pets to overindulge, as they could wind up with a case of stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse—an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. In fact, it’s best keep pets on their regular diets during the holidays.

After the new Year, we’ll be running a series on pet safety, pets in disasters and how to make an emergency plan that includes your pets but for now, let’s just get through the holiday without killing Fluffy and Spot with Thanksgiving food.

Stay safe while you travel, make sure you have that safety/preparedness kit in your car and enjoy your holiday!