Please put batteries on your shopping list. Test your smoke alarm regularly over the festive period, and if batteries are running low, replacements will be at the get-go without any jingles, jangles or baubles getting in the way. Please don’t deprive the elves of their holiday fun by removing batteries from their toys! Santa, test your smoke alarm today.
… For all your fire safety needs, contact us at Bath & West Fire & Safety, your local experts for fire extinguishers, fire safety training, fire alarms and fire risk assessments.
Our office will be closed from the 22nd December until the 3rd January 2018. For an emergency please contact us by phone 01225 868199.
Happy Christmas!
The Festive Christmas pudding aura – a flourish with flame
After the traditional turkey feast, it is the turn of the Christmas (or plum) pudding to take the limelight. To give that wonderful blue glow of flame surrounding the pudding as you present the pudding to the delight of your guests, here are our tips:
Ensure anything flammable is out of the way, up, down and around where you are to serve the pudding. Turn out your hot steamed pudding out onto a large flat plate with a good-sized rim to contain the liquid. Remove any holly or decoration you have on the pudding … it will catch fire otherwise. Warm about three to four tablespoons of brandy in a small saucepan, until hot. Carefully pour the hot liquid into a large metal ladle held over your pudding. Standing back, light the brandy and pour it gently over the pudding. Let the flame go out before you serve. The secret is to have the brandy hot, and it will continue with its aura until all the alcohol is burnt out. Always have a fire blanket on-hand just in case. Always be careful when handling naked flame and don’t be tempted to lean over the pudding and get singed eyebrows.
Happy festive feasting! For all your fire safety needs, contact us at Bath & West Fire & Safety, your local experts for fire extinguishers, fire safety training, fire alarms and fire risk assessments
When Santa got stuck up the chimney …
An uncleaned chimney attracts coal soot deposits or wood tar deposits. This is a dangerous build up, not only is there a risk that a certain red coated man with a white beard might get stuck, there is also the risk of chimney fire. When you have a fire the heat from the fire warms the deposits releasing combustible volatiles until they ignite. The fire will then spread up into the chimney as the burning deposits heat the chimney above.
If you have a chimney fire, you will probably hear a roaring noise in the chimney, especially with an open fire. Outside masses of smoke will be pouring out of the chimney.
In an extreme scenario chimney fires can spread into your joists, and weaken the structure of the house.
Don’t leave it until the New Year to see a chimney sweep – the time to clean your chimney is now and should be done at least every year for average use. Santa will thank you for it!
For all your fire safety needs, contact us at Bath & West Fire & Safety, your local experts for fire extinguishers, fire safety training and fire alarms.