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Safety Tips
How To Protect Your Property

Make sure your home is properly insulated. If necessary, insulate walls and attic. This will help you to conserve electricity and reduce your home's power demands for heat. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills to keep cold air out, allowing the inside temperature to stay warmer longer.

Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside. This will provide an extra layer of insulation, keeping more cold air out.

To keep pipes from freezing:
  • Wrap pipes in insulation or layers of old newspapers.
  • Cover the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture.
  • Let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing.
  • Know how to shut off water valves.

If the pipes freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate). A hand-held hair dryer, used with caution to prevent overheating, also works well.

Consider storing sufficient heating fuel. Regular fuel sources may be cut off. Be cautious of fire hazards when storing any type of fuel.

Before winter, be sure you install and check smoke alarms.

Consider keeping safe emergency heating equipment:
  • Fireplace with ample supply of wood.
  • Small, well-vented wood, coal, or camp stove with fuel.
  • Portable space heater or kerosene heater. Check with your local fire department on the legality of using kerosene heaters in your community. Use only the correct fuel for your unit and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Refuel outdoors only, and only when cool. Keep your kerosene heater at least three feet away from furniture and other flammable objects.

When using alternative heat from a fireplace, wood stove, space heater, etc., use fire safeguards and ventilate properly. Fire hazard is greatly increased in the winter because alternate heating sources are used without following proper safety precautions.

Install snow fences in rural areas to reduce drifting in roads and paths, which could block access to homes, barns, and animals' feed and water.

If you live in a flood-prone area, consider purchasing flood insurance to cover possible flood damage that may occur during the spring thaw. Homeowners' policies do not cover damage from floods. Ask your insurance agent about the National Flood Insurance Program if you are at risk.

E-mail the Red Cross for more information regarding how to protect your property at info@kcredcross.org.
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American Red Cross
Greater Kansas City Chapter
211 W. Armour Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64111 USA		         Phone 816-931-8400
Fax 816-531-7306		 United Way Member Agency

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