If you are a homeowner and are insured by State Farm, Ohio Mutual, Pure Insurance, Westfield, and maybe Nationwide, you can get a FREE device to monitor your electrical system for arcing (one of the causes of house fires). h/t @w8emv
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US National Waste and Recycling Association study alerts for rising lithium-batteries fire risk:
-5,000 fires a year in recycling facilities
-Increase of 40% in catastrophic fires in the last five years
-Li-ion batteries are the leading cause
-Driving insurance premiums from 20 c for each $100 up to $10 for each $100 of insured property
-Fire data collection is sketchy; numbers can be higher
Remember while the sun is low be careful of magnifying mirrors. They can focus the sun and start a fire from across a room.
Caught this just as it ignited thanks to my interconnected smoke alarms. If we weren't home just now our house would have burned down 😨 #firesafety#winter#sun
This morning's home project: retrofitting the bird-sized eave vents with intumescent, fire blocking vents. Missed a bunch the last time around, only noticed it when I got access to the interior space they are connected to. Wildfire risk mitigation. #diy#roof#vents#firewall
After installation, which involves caulking on the outside of the retrofit vents and sliding them into the holes. You have to make sure not to fill the grates, but have enough caulking to block insects and embers from sneaking past. #firesafety#retrofit
Good to see eucalyptus trees getting cleared near the Claremont Hotel (the largest wood-frame structure west of the Mississippi, in a high fire danger area). Before: via Google Street View, after: this morning. #FireSafety#Eucalyptus