As the saying goes ‘where there is smoke there is fire.’ Hence, it would be prudent enough to say that we should ensure and put in the maximum effort to protect the premises from smoke.Not only that smoke can also be harmful for the elderlies and children. In 2015, more than 4000 people died due to fire and smoke inhalation. Houses located near forest are more likely to fight smoke and its ill effects rather than a fire. During summers when the weather is dry, there is a high probability of a forest fire. You might be safe from the fire however; you still have to fight the smoke emanated from burning trees and leaves.

Here Is What You Can Do To Keep Your House Safe From Smoke.

Stop burning of wood or old items or anything that generates smoke. This is the most important step can take to protect your house and your family from smoke.

Check local air quality reports or health warning about smoke. U.S. Environmental Agency operates an air quality index. Try to locate one in your city/locality to get regular and precise updates. You can also join our mailing list to get regular email updates.

Consult local guides if you they are available. Communities, usually appoint a guide to monitor the air quality and inform the members of community about a probable scenario.

Keep the indoor air as clean as possible. Locate and purchase an air conditioner, which provides an option to stop sucking in outside air and circulating air inside the room after filtration.

Avoid performing activities that increase indoor pollution. For example, lighting a fireplace, or candle etc. Dusting and vacuuming stirs up the dust particles and should be avoided at least during wildfire situations. Try to install and use a gas based furnace rather than the old method of wood furnace.

Be proactive and prevent wildfires from starting by cleaning dead leaves and trimming trees not only in nearby forests but also in your backyard and in your locality.

Fix cloth filters on your windows and install an extra front door with a cloth filter on it. This should act as a protection and prevent smoke particles entering your house.

If you have an elderly at home or if you are allergic to smoke or has asthma then have a respirator readily available at your home. You should also have them if a family member suffers from lung diseases or a weak heart. Check with our staff on the type of respirators we use while performing our tasks.

Seal the leaks in your home through which outside smoke and pollutants can enter. There might be some inaccessible areas or, crawl space through which the smoke particles can enter.

Contact the professionals at Catstrong LLC to find how you can seal these nooks and crannies. We use polyurethane foam and plugs to make your house airtight or rather smoke tight. Give us a tinkle on (254) 400-2318 to prepare your home for the summer.

Grease fires normally start when you leave a pan or utensil on the stove and forget about it. And, in the worst scenario, with oil in it. This is a high probability case and a perfectly cooked recipe for a disaster waiting to happen.

Preventing Grease Fires

• Maintenance: Clean the stove at least once a week. This will help you degrease the burners of any leftover oil or other substances that would have spilled while cooking. Doing this also helps you to improve the efficiency of the burners as it frees the pores of the burner from any obstruction.
• Knowledge: Read the heat ratings of the oil. Various qualities of oil will have different flash points. As a rule of thumb, switch of the stove or carefully remove the utensil from the stove when you see smoke emanating from the utensil. The smoke is an indicator that the oil has almost reached its flash point and will catch fire if you do not take corrective action.
• Avoidance: Avoid heating the utensil without introducing the food in the mixture. If the oil needs to be hot, before cooking then stay in front of the stove and make sure that the oil does not enter the flash point. Another method is to ensure that there is a lid on the top of the utensil.

You know you can trust us, we can give you a run down and provide you with an estimate and a checklist to maintain fire safety. You can reach us at (254) 400-2318 .

Handling Grease Fires

Read the steps below in the unfortunate event a fire has started and you need to douse it.

Call 911 and while you wait for assistance, you can perform the following steps.

• Primarily switch of the burner. If you cannot do that, then try to shut the valve in the Gas line.
• Try to cover the utensil with a top. This should help in avoiding an oxygen supply and cut of the fire.
• If you were unable to cover the utensil, then the next alternative would be to pour baking soda over the fire. Pour lots of it. Baking soda tries to smother the flame however; it is effective only if you have a small sized flame.
• You can also use cooking salt to douse the fire. In fact, it is a better option as it acts an excellent heat absorber. It cools the temperature around the fire thereby finally dousing it.

DO NOT Do The Following Things:

• Do Not pour water over the fire. The science behind it is that the water is lighter than oil and it sinks below the oil. The water then superheats to become steam and pushes its way out carrying and splattering oil everywhere.
• Do Not swing a cloth at the fire assuming it will put out the fire. You would be actually stoking the fire by fanning it and pulling in more oxygen to the flame.
• Do Not try to move the utensil from its position, you risk burning yourself and spreading the fire.

Keep your family safe and let the experts at Catstrong LLC audit your premises and guide you to live in a safer environment. Get in touch by emailing on [email protected]. You can also call us at (254) 400-2318 . We are available 365/24/7