In 2016/17 Fire and Rescue NSW responded to over 5,5001 fires – thats a really worrying statistic!
So to make sure you don’t become a statistic, we thought we’d let you know about a very important gas leak check you must do now plus some simple DIY checks for your hot water system and dryer. Also a quick reminder – 1 April is the date to check your smoke alarms are working properly – so make sure you check yours if haven’t already!
If these checks all sound a bit too much, don’t fear, we can help you out with our no-obligation, no-cost Free Maintenance Inspection. So now there’s no excuse to making sure you and your family don’t become a statistic!
Four Household tips that can save lives
Clean the lint filter on your dryer – Very few people realise the danger of clothes dryer fires. Lint is the biggest culprit here. As you know from cleaning out your lint filter, dryers produce very large quantities of lint. Most people assume their lint traps catch all the lint, and that all they need to do is clean them out after each load. However, a significant amount of this lint is not caught by the lint trap and builds up inside the dryer-even on the heating element!
Nobody wants toasty warm clothes to turn into burnt clothes or worse, a home that is toast so check your dryer thoroughly for lint regularly!
Check over your heater – A faulty heater is one of the biggest risk factors when it comes to carbon monoxide poisoning.Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic gas. It’s colourless, odourless and tasteless – hence the nickname of “Silent Killer” – which makes it almost impossible to detect yourself. Scary when you consider that once you breathe the gas in, it mixes with your blood cells and prevents them carrying oxygen.
So make sure you give the vents, filters and any other dusty spots a vacuum. If it’s a gas heater – GET IT SERVICED. This must be done annually as families have died from carbon monoxide poisoning and gas leaks. Read all about it here.
Avoid burns and scalds. Your hot water system, by NSW law, requires a tempering valve to protect occupants from a burn. A tempering valve mixes your hot and cold water to deliver hot tap water at a constant temperature. Tempering valves have a temperature sensitive element which adjusts the mix depending on the temperature of the incoming water flowing through the valve.
Have your plumber check it at their next visit.
Check your smoke alarms. The beginning and end of Daylight Savings in NSW is a great reminder to check your smoke alarms. Did you know that the risk of a fatality in a home fire is halved if there are working smoke alarms in a residential dwelling? Just having smoke alarms is not enough though – it’s important to maintain your smoke alarms. According to Fire and Rescue NSW you should:
a) Test your smoke alarm batteries every month by pressing and holding the test button for at least five seconds until you hear the beeps.
b) Vacuum dust off your smoke alarms every six months because keeping your smoke alarm free of particles helps reduce false alarms and ensures smoke can easily reach the internal sensor;
c) Replace lead or alkaline batteries every 12 months.
d) Replace all smoke alarms with new 10-year lithium powered smoke alarms every 10 years, or earlier if specified by the manufacturer.
Make sure make you spend a few minutes to test all your smoke alarms
Release some pressure on the hot water system – take the TPR valve in hand, raise and release water to avoid unit explosions or cold water catastrophes. 
All done? Great job. Now go have some fun.
Need a professional to make sure?
We can check your hot water, gas or plumbing with our no-obligation FREE inspection to make sure there are no hidden problems.
Just Call us on 1300 007 473 or click the button to book.
- Fire and Rescue Annual Report 2016/17
I’m Laney. I get to talk about plumbing and home maintenance a lot and I love to share what I learn. That’s what Tips for a Happy Home is all about. Every month I’ll be sharing clever home maintenance and plumbing tips to boost your home’s value and help you avoid nasty and expensive repairs. It’s like having a free plumber in your inbox (translated by me). Laney x
