How to Heat Your NYC Home Safely This Winter

December 10, 2020 by

Baby, it’s cold outside! Last month we discussed how to protect your household from deadly carbon monoxide fumes during the winter months. Now we want to touch on how to safely heat your NYC home this winter. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), space heaters, fireplaces, water heaters, stoves, and other heating units are leading causes of U.S. home fires. Use the safety tips and precautions below for a safe, warm winter.

  • Practice the 3-foot rule by keeping any flammable items at least three feet away from all heating equipment, including your water heater. Create a 3-foot “kid-free/pet-free zone” around open fires and space heaters. Invest in a baby play yard or fence system to maintain this distance.
  • Have an HVAC professional inspect your system and clean all the ducts at least once a year, but preferably twice before both the heating and cooling seasons. Also, change your furnace filter each month during the winter and remove all flammable materials from the area around your furnace.
  • Never leave space heaters unattended. Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed. Make sure to place your heater on a flat, level, non-flammable surface such as ceramic tile rather than on carpet. Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord. Your space heater should be completely cooled down before touching or moving it. 
  • Be careful when using an electric blanket for warmth. Do not cover or fold electric blankets when they are on. “Tucking in” an electric blanket can cause it to overheat and start a fire.
  • If you have a chimney, get it inspected annually for structural damage. Structural problems can allow high temperatures, sparks and embers to escape to combustible areas in walls, roofs or attics. Schedule regular cleanings to remove excess creosote from your chimney walls and ensure safe burning.
  • Smoke detectors and fire alarms alert your family to fire and dangerous smoke while there is still time to evacuate. To ensure proper function, test them at least once a month and replace the batteries at least once or twice a year.

By law, all New York City residential building owners must maintain indoor temperatures of 68 degrees during the day whenever outdoor temperatures fall below 55 degrees during the colder months. Overnight, indoor temperatures cannot fall below 62 degrees regardless of the outside temperature. If an apartment lacks appropriate heat and/or hot water, tenants should first attempt to notify the building owner, managing agent, or superintendent. If service is not restored, the tenant should register an official complaint via 311. Enforcing heat and hot water laws is just one of the many ways HPD Housing Inspectors help keep New Yorkers in safe and secure homes.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. We hope these tips will keep your family safe and warm this winter. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

 

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The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide in the Home

November 12, 2020 by

As temperatures continue to drop and more and more people begin to make use of their heating systems, we want to remind everyone of the dangers of carbon monoxide in the home. Protecting your family from carbon monoxide is of vital importance, especially in the winter. Let’s talk about some carbon monoxide basics.

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and toxic gas. The gas can build up indoors and poison people and animals who breathe it. Because you can not smell, taste, or see the toxic fumes – you may not know they are there until it is too late. Symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or chest pains in those that have heart disease are commonly associated with carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” It is common to feel fine when you are out of the home, but to begin to feel like you are coming down with the flu once you have been home. With extreme exposure, it is not uncommon that those being afflicted become so disoriented that even though they know something is wrong, they are unable to save themselves from the gas. 

Where does Carbon Monoxide come from?

It is created by the incomplete burning of fuel, such as natural gas, propane and wood. Unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, back-drafting from furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces, gas stoves, generators and other gasoline powered equipment, and automobile exhaust from attached garages are all sources of carbon monoxide. Worn or poorly adjusted heating devices and having a blocked or leaking flue can cause high concentrations of carbon monoxide in indoor air. 

Tips to Prevent Carbon Monoxide in the Home

  • Have your heating system, water heater, and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
  • Have your chimney checked or cleaned every year. Chimneys can be blocked by debris, causing CO to build up inside your home.
  • Do not use your gas oven or stove to heat your home.
  • Do not run a car inside the garage. In the winter, make sure the tailpipe is clear of snow before you start the car engine.
  • Do not use an outdoor grill inside a home or garage.
  • If you use a generator during a power outage, keep it outdoors, at least 20 feet from open windows or enclosed areas. When using a generator, always use a battery-powered or battery backup CO detector in your home.
  • Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector.

Carbon monoxide detectors alert you when there are dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in your home. Most homes and residential buildings in New York City are required by law to have carbon monoxide detectors installed in the sleeping areas.

Building owners are responsible for installing approved carbon monoxide detectors. Occupants are responsible for regularly testing detectors to make sure they work and replacing the batteries. You should test carbon monoxide detectors at least once a month. You should also replace your carbon monoxide detector’s batteries twice a year. Replacing batteries for daylight saving days in the spring and fall makes it easy to keep track.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. We hope these tips will help you protect you and your loved ones from carbon monoxide poisoning this winter. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

Get more information about carbon monoxide poisoning here.

 

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3 Signs Your Home May Be Unsafe

October 19, 2020 by

We all want to live in the safest home environment possible, especially in 2020 as we are all spending more time at home. As a homeowner or a renter, it is important to know the signs that your home may be unsafe. The more you know, the better prepared you will be to keep you and your family safe.

Pests
Common household pests can pose a variety of safety issues for you and your home. Did you know cockroaches can trigger allergy symptoms? People with asthma can also have severe reactions to cockroaches, aggravating their asthma symptoms even more. Even if you are not allergic, cockroaches can spread icky germs around your home that can adversely affect your health. These pests can carry all kinds of diseases that can infect humans. There are over 60 pathogenic bacteria, fungi, molds, parasitic worms, and viruses found in cockroaches. These pests transmit germs indirectly when humans consume contaminated food and water or touch contaminated surfaces. There are also many rodent borne diseases such as salmonella and hantavirus that can be transmitted by direct contact with rodent waste/saliva, inhaling air contaminated with rodent waste, being bitten or scratched by a rodent, or ingesting food or drink that is contaminated with rodent waste. Protect yourself and your family by pest proofing your home today and contacting a professional if you already have an infestation.

Lead Paint
Lead poisoning is far less common today but it is still a concern, especially in children. Many New York City apartments are older dwellings and even though lead-based paint has been banned for residential use since 1960, older buildings may contain old layers of lead paint. Lead paint was typically used on kitchen and bathroom walls and throughout homes on doors, windows, and wooden trim. Lead paint, and the dust it turns into, is the most commonly identified source of childhood lead exposure in New York City. Keep children away from peeling or damaged paint. Clean up paint chips and dust by wet wiping areas. If you are a renter, report peeling paint to your property owner. New York City building owners are required to identify and safely fix lead paint hazards in apartments with young children.

Unprotected Windows
Each year, young children are injured or die in falls from unguarded windows, even from the first floor. These tragedies are preventable with properly installed and approved window guards, which are required in many residential buildings. If you reside in New York City, homeowners must have window guards on their windows by law if children 10 years or younger are living in the home. Properly installed window guards are your best defense in preventing window falls. You can’t ever rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall. Screens alone cannot support the weight of a child.

Sentry Window Guards is your one-stop solution for window guards and windows. From start to finish, our professionally trained staff can assist you in your window guard project. We can troubleshoot, measure, fabricate, supply, and install all within a 24 hour period. All Sentry powder coated window guard products are warranted for life against rust. Sentry is also capable of matching any color that isn’t part of our standard color selection. For more information regarding our products and how they keep everyone safe at home in NYC, contact us today!

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A Safer Home: 5 Tips for Preventing Mold in the Home

September 14, 2020 by

Yes, we know that Sentry Window Guards is your number one source for keeping your New York City home safe with top of the line window guards, but we also recognize the importance of safe air quality in homes. For more information regarding Sentry Window Guard products and how they keep everyone safe at home in NYC, read on for more information on how to prevent mold in your NYC home.

The hot and humid days of summer have not quite shown themselves the door yet. When the air is extra damp and sticky it can not only make your home uncomfortable, it can cause mold and other damage. Did you know that mold is not just a shower problem? It can grow just about anywhere: on carpet, clothing, food, paper, and even in places you can’t see such as inside your walls, around leaking pipes, and above ceiling tiles. Since mold can trigger serious health risks to you and your family, it’s important to keep it out. Use the following tips to prevent mold before it ever begins.   

Keep Everything Dry

Mold can’t grow without moisture, so dry all wet areas immediately. Dry any water that accumulates into the basement or crawl space after a heavy rainfall, water leakage from pipes, and all carpet spills within 24 to 48 hours.  Don’t leave wet items lying around the house, and make sure to dry all areas after a shower. A shower squeegee is a quick, easy, and painless way to rid moisture in the bathroom.

Monitor Indoor Humidity

The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent (ideally between 30 and 50 percent) relative humidity. You can measure humidity with a moisture meter purchased from your local hardware store. Some signs of excess humidity are visible such as condensation on windows, pipes, and walls.

Proper Ventilation

Household activities such as cooking dinner, doing laundry or dishes, and taking a shower can invite mold into your home if you do not have proper ventilation. Open a window or run an exhaust fan during moisture producing activities. Appliances that produce moisture such as dryers and stoves should be vented to the outside and not the attic.

Improve Air Flow

If you notice excess moisture condensing on your walls, windows, or floors, improving the air flow in your home may be the answer. To increase circulation, change your air filter, open doors between rooms, unblock vents, move furniture away from walls, and use fans and air conditioning as needed. Letting fresh air in by opening doors and non-adjacent windows will also reduce moisture and keep mold at bay. 

Clean and Repair Gutters

Clean gutters will keep rainwater flowing freely away from your home. Regularly clean your gutters and inspect them for damage. Water that gets clogged up in the gutters may lead to a leaky roof or work its way right into the walls and ceilings of your home. Left unnoticed, this type of water damage can quickly lead to mold.

If you do spot mold in your home, clean it right away with a bleach solution of 1/2 cup bleach to 1 quart of water. Consider calling in a professional to handle the problem if you find a big outbreak or anyone in your home has a weakened immune system or severe allergy to mold. At Sentry Window Guards our business is to help prevent falls from windows, but we also recognize the importance of safe air quality in homes. For more information regarding Sentry Window Guard products and how they keep everyone safe at home in NYC, contact us today!

 

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5 Tips for Preventing Mold in the Home

September 10, 2020 by

The hot and humid days of summer have not quite shown themselves the door yet. When the air is extra damp and sticky it can not only make your home uncomfortable, it can cause mold and other damage. Did you know that mold is not just a shower problem? It can grow just about anywhere: on carpet, clothing, food, paper, and even in places you can’t see such as inside your walls, around leaking pipes, and above ceiling tiles. Since mold can trigger serious health risks to you and your family, it’s important to keep it out. Use the following tips to prevent mold before it ever begins.   

Keep Everything Dry

Mold can’t grow without moisture, so dry all wet areas immediately. Dry any water that accumulates into the basement or crawl space after a heavy rainfall, water leakage from pipes, and all carpet spills within 24 to 48 hours.  Don’t leave wet items lying around the house, and make sure to dry all areas after a shower. A shower squeegee is a quick, easy, and painless way to rid moisture in the bathroom.

Monitor Indoor Humidity

The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent (ideally between 30 and 50 percent) relative humidity. You can measure humidity with a moisture meter purchased from your local hardware store. Some signs of excess humidity are visible such as condensation on windows, pipes, and walls.

Proper Ventilation

Household activities such as cooking dinner, doing laundry or dishes, and taking a shower can invite mold into your home if you do not have proper ventilation. Open a window or run an exhaust fan during moisture producing activities. Appliances that produce moisture such as dryers and stoves should be vented to the outside and not the attic.

Improve Air Flow

If you notice excess moisture condensing on your walls, windows, or floors, improving the air flow in your home may be the answer. To increase circulation, change your air filter, open doors between rooms, unblock vents, move furniture away from walls, and use fans and air conditioning as needed. Letting fresh air in by opening doors and non-adjacent windows will also reduce moisture and keep mold at bay. 

Clean and Repair Gutters

Clean gutters will keep rainwater flowing freely away from your home. Regularly clean your gutters and inspect them for damage. Water that gets clogged up in the gutters may lead to a leaky roof or work its way right into the walls and ceilings of your home. Left unnoticed, this type of water damage can quickly lead to mold.

If you do spot mold in your home, clean it right away with a bleach solution of 1/2 cup bleach to 1 quart of water. Consider calling in a professional to handle the problem if you find a big outbreak or anyone in your home has a weakened immune system or severe allergy to mold. At Sentry Window Guards our business is to help prevent falls from windows, but we also recognize the importance of safe air quality in homes. For more information regarding Sentry Window Guards products and how they keep everyone safe at home in NYC, contact us today!

 

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