Fire Safety Tips for Fall

As the temperature starts to drop, especially overnight, many homeowners at the Lake of the Ozarks will start to heat their homes. Whether it be wood in a fireplace or a furnace, there are a few dangers that come along with heating your home. Your trusted real estate agent in Lake Ozark, Missouri has provided some fire safety tips to help make your home a safer place this fall.

Service Furnace

Before you turn your furnace on for the first time this year, consider having a professional check over your system. This can help ensure it is in proper working order and that no safety issues are present. If you do have your system checked out, you can catch a potential issue before a problem arises.

Clean Chimney

Ensure your chimney is clear of all debris before starting a fire each time. Whether it be tree limbs or leaves, a blockage can cause smoke and/or a fire to be trapped inside the home.

Use Caution with Fireplace

When dealing with fire in a fireplace, use caution at all times. Utilize fireplace tools to handle wood when shifting fire and placing new logs on a flame. Keep in mind that you should always use a fireplace screen to keep the fire secure.

Proper Placement of Space Heater

When plugging in a space heater, ensure it is placed away from any flammable objects. Keep the heater away from objects like curtains, clothing, and bedding, which can easily catch fire.

Blow Out Candles

With the limited daylight hours and cooler temperature, many homeowners are home more in the fall and winter months, than during the summer. This means more people will be burning candles inside their home, since they are there to enjoy the flickering light and pleasant scent. If you do choose to burn a candle, ensure it is extinguished before leaving the house or going to bed at night.

Never Heat with an Oven

Heating your home with a gas range stove or an open oven door can lead to toxic air entering the home. This is not safe for you or your family to breathe in.

Test Smoke Alarms

Two times a year, you should test your smoke alarms and replace the battery. A smoke alarm can help alert anyone inside the home to exit because there is a fire threat. To help protect your family, ensure your smoke detectors are in proper working order and have fresh batteries.

Whether you already own a home or are planning to purchase a house at the Lake of the Ozarks, these fall safety tips can help keep you and your family safe at home. If you are in the market for a new home, an experienced real estate agent in Lake Ozark, MO can help you with the search. Now that you know these tips for fire safety in the home, you can feel confident about protecting your home this fall. 

Susan Spica
Professional REALTOR®

BerkShire Hathaway HomeServices
101 Crossings West, Ste. 202
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Office: (573) 365-6868
Susan's Cell: (573) 280-0484

5 Ways to Make Your House a Home: Fall Decorating Tips

Whether you are moving into your first home or looking to make your space a little cozier, decorating your house for fall can help you accomplish a comfortable place to call your own. An exciting time for any homeowner at the Lake of the Ozarks is adding personal touches and décor to your house. The great thing about fall décor is that it can be left up all season long! Halloween and Thanksgiving pieces can be added to your existing fall look in your home. Your trusted real estate agent at the Lake of the Ozarks has provided some tips to decorate your home this fall.

Incorporate a Throw

Many people think of autumn as a time to curl up in front of the fireplace, with a plush blanket draped across them, snuggled in for the evening. Adding a beautiful, fall colored throw blanket to your living room or bedroom can help bring about warmth during the chilly part of the season. The cozy factor in your home with go up a few notches by simply throwing a blanket over the arm of the couch or the foot of the bed.

Light Up the Room

As the daylight hours get shorter and shorter, you may consider adding additional lighting to your home. Incorporate a few lamps in your living room, to help light up the room during the fall months. You can add a fall inspired lamp to the bedroom, for extra illumination in that room as well.

Stock Up on Fire Wood

If you have a fireplace, you may start gathering firewood for the season. You may want to light the fireplace on a cool fall night to keep you and your family warm. Incorporate your stack of firewood into your fall décor efforts. Add a neatly stacked pile to the hearth of the fireplace, or a beautiful fall basket near the fireplace to hold your firewood this season.

Add Autumn Touch to Your Table

A festive way to get in on the fall festivities is to add an autumn inspired centerpiece to your dining table. A wreath laying on the table is a fun way to bring fall touches to your table. A twig wreath with a candle in the middle and little pumpkins around the wreath can bring the freshness of the season into your dining space. Placemats and festive centerpieces are an easy way to bring fall tones into your dining room.

Pumpkins, Gourds, and Pine Cones (Oh My!)

Fall is full of natural options to add to your decorating efforts. Pumpkins are a popular decorating item, especially this time of year. You can add pumpkins to every room in your home for an autumn feel all around. Create a festive display in any room of your home with pumpkins, gourds, and pine cones. Whether you want to create a focal point or a few items spread throughout your home, pumpkins, gourds, and pine cones can be used to easily decorate your home this autumn.

Decorating for fall can help get you and your family into the spirit of the season. While the temperature is usually nice during the day, the evenings can cool off quite a bit in the autumn season. This makes for a perfect time to stay indoors and add some fall decorations to your home. Fall is a beautiful time of year to take advantage of cozy nights inside your home, enjoying your new fall décor. If you are looking for a new place to decorate and call your own, contact a real estate agent in Lake Ozark, MO.

Susan Spica
Professional REALTOR®

BerkShire Hathaway HomeServices
101 Crossings West, Ste. 202
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Office: (573) 365-6868
Susan's Cell: (573) 280-0484