VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — At the office or at home, space heaters can help get you through the colder days of winter. But if you are not careful, they can be dangerous too. Virginia Beach fire dealt with at least five fires caused by space heaters last winter.
A huge mistake Fire Captain Marquel Davis sees is people leaving space heaters on when they leave their home.
“So, if you go to bed at night or you decide to leave the house, I would unplug it and also turn it off,” Davis said.
He also urges people to keep flammable objects away from space heaters. This includes household items like blankets, dog beds and books. Prolonged exposure to the heat can cause them to go up in flames. Many fire marshals across the nation also ask people to avoid plugging space heaters into power strips and extension cords.
Heeding this advice could save a life.
“Dogs, pets, yourself — all your belongings and things you’ve all worked hard and paid that money for, you don’t want to lose any of that,” Davis said.
As the temps drop, plumbers across Hampton roads are getting ready for freezing pipes. Charles Malone with Norfolk Air remembered getting slammed with calls last winter when a cold spell hit.
To keep pipes from freezing, he recommends letting faucets drip, cover outdoor faucets, and open the cabinet doors under your sinks. Do not let faucets drip when you are away from the home.
Malone said any home built around or after the year 2000 likely has insulated pipes — making them way less likely to freeze. They are getting ready for a surge in calls as temperatures are expected to drop.
“We’re ready to go, we got the materials ready to go,” Malone said. “So if we need to get out there, we can do your service.”
Another big mistake Malone sees — people not winterizing vacant homes, or any rental properties they own.
