By Sallie Ross-Filgo

Never try to thaw frozen water pipes with an open flame. This could start a fire inside a wall space.

Instead, use hot water or a hand-held hair dryer for thawing.

Also, don’t use your oven or stovetop for heating the house. This is a fire hazard that could give off poisonous fumes.

Be sure all of your windows open easily. You may need to use them as emergency exits if a fire should occur.

Finally, make sure your furnace and water heater have clear space around the for air intake. This promotes safe and efficient operation of the appliances.

Sallie Ross-Filgo works for the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department.