Blue Ridge Energy Winter Safety Tips: 5 Precautions to Take During Winter Weather

LENOIR, NC (January 5, 2018)…During severely cold weather, Blue Ridge Energy recommends the following safety tips to protect your family and home:

1.       Prevent pipes from freezing by allowing faucets to drip during extreme cold.

2.      Place space heaters on a solid surface at least three feet away from anything flammable. Always turn off space heaters before leaving the room or going to sleep.

3.      Never leave a fireplace unless its embers are completely extinguished, and use a fire screen to catch sparks and rolling logs.

4.      If back up power generators are used during an outage, they should be placed in an open and ventilated area. They should never be operated inside a home—including in spaces like the basement and garage—due to the danger of inhaling carbon monoxide fumes. Additionally, to avoid back-feeding of electricity and potentially harming line technicians, always have a qualified, licensed electrician install a double-pole, double-throw transfer switch between the generator and utility power in compliance with state and local electrical codes.

5.      Never touch a downed power line or try to remove trees or limbs from lines. Report it immediately by calling Blue Ridge Energy at 1-800-451-5474.

For more safety tips, visit the Storm Room at www.BlueRidgeEnergy.com.