Reminders for a Safe and Happy Holiday Season

As residents begin to hold gatherings and decorate their homes and businesses for the holiday season, UGI encourages all members of the community to remember the following safety tips:

What to Know About CO

• Protect your family and co-workers from carbon monoxide (CO). CO is a colorless and odorless gas that can build up inside a home due to malfunctioning heating units or other fuel-burning appliances, as well as by blocked chimneys and exhaust vents.
• While CO is odorless, a smoky or sooty smell is often generated by the malfunctioning appliance or blocked chimney.
• Signs that an appliance may be producing CO include condensation on walls and windows, house pets becoming sluggish, and residents in the home suffering flu-like symptoms or feeling unusually tired. Individuals who believe they may be experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning should immediately seek fresh air and prompt medical attention.
• UGI recommends that all homes have working CO detectors on every floor, especially near heating equipment and bedrooms.

Holiday Cooking Safety

• If you have a gas stove, always double check that the gas burners are turned off when you are done cooking to prevent gas build-up in your kitchen.
• If you smell gas, act fast! An odorant that smells like rotten eggs is added to natural gas to assist in detecting a gas leak. If you smell gas, leave the building immediately, taking everyone with you and leaving the door open. Do not use the phone, light a match, or switch anything on or off. Once you are at least the distance of a football field away, call 911 or UGI at 1-800-276-2722. UGI will send a service technician to investigate the odor immediately. Emergency response is available 24-hours a day, every day. There is no cost to investigate a report of a gas leak.
• Be sure to keep loose clothing, dish towels and other flammable items away from burners and hot stove surfaces. In addition, to allow for proper air flow and avoid accidental fires, keep your stove and the area around it clean and free from bags, wrappers, boxes, etc.
• If you use a deep fryer for a fried turkey, operate it safely. Set up the turkey fryer at least 10 feet away from your home or garage on a flat, level surface. Keep children and pets away and never leave the fryer unattended.
• Always keep a fire extinguisher ready when cooking. The ideal home fire extinguisher is one that can put out wood, grease, oil and electrical fires, and one that is lightweight enough for anyone to operate easily.

Decking the Halls

• Make sure Christmas trees, gifts, decorations, and other flammable items are kept away from fireplaces, radiators, and other heating sources. Turn off tree lights and lit decorations when you go to bed or leave the house.
• If you have a live tree, make sure it is watered every day.
• Keep burning candles in sight and extinguish all candles before leaving the room or at the end of the day. Consider using battery operated candles to avoid a potential fire.
• Inspect your decorations. Discard any lights that are damaged or show excessive wear. Check for any frayed wires, damaged sockets, or broken bulbs that could be a fire hazard. Consider replacing old lights with newer LED ones that can save energy. Never exceed the maximum number of strings or devices that may be linked together, as indicated on decoration packaging.
• Properly use electric extension cords. If using outdoor lights around your home, make sure you use outdoor-rated extension cords and timers. Follow the directions on cord labels regarding connecting light strings and extension cords to avoid overloading electrical circuits. If a cord feels hot to the touch, it is overloaded and may cause an electrical fire. To help avoid overheating indoor extension cords, do not run them under furniture or carpeting, behind baseboards, or over walkways. Do not run extension cords through windows or garage doors. Do not string a series of extension cords together.

For more safety tips, visit www.ugi.com/safety.