Staying Safe As Things Start To Heat Up

4/1/2021 (Permalink)

Home air conditioners cause an average of 20 deaths, 140 injuries, and $82million in property damage annually.

The warmer months are upon us and it’s time to start putting away the sweaters and bring out the tank tops. This also means, for a lot of Minnesotans, it means putting that window unit air conditioner back in. It turns out that the appliance we count on to keep us out of the blazing heat, may be the cause of a blaze in our home. According to a 2016 report by the National Fire Protection Association home air conditioners cause an average of 20 deaths, 140 injuries, and $82million in property damage annually. There are some things you can do to help prevent fires cause by air conditioning units. By performing proper maintenance on your unit, you can reduce the risk of a fire in your home.  Changing the filter regularly and ensuring there is adequate power supply to the unit will help reduce the risk of fire in your home. As temps rise and units are running more continuously there can become electrical issues with home cooling systems. This could catch nearby combustibles on fire.  Avoid using power strips or extension cords. These can very easily overheat and catch fire. Stay safe as things start to heat up out there.