As a source of warmth or as a decorative way to celebrate the winter weather, wood burning stoves are often a cost-effective way to lower electricity bills. However, these beautiful sources of heat do require proper use and awareness of potential safety problems. A plume of thick smoke from a clogged stove or a wayward spark can create an out-of-control fire in minutes if a homeowner isn’t careful.

Minimize Creosote Buildup

Sales of wood-burning stoves have been skyrocketing, according to retailers, but many families have been using their stoves for heat for many years. Over time, contaminants ...

Geotagging poses significant security risks, particularly as an aspect of social media. Even the military is concerned that its soldiers, sailors or marines could inadvertently distribute sensitive information through geotagging. In fact, the U.S. military lost four AH-64 Apache helicopters because the enemy was able to use a geotagged image uploaded to the Internet to discern their location. The risk has become so real for the military that all branches have actually integrated it into their training for new and established personnel alike.

What Is Geotagging?

A geotag is metadata that exists within an image or other ...

New Year’s celebrations commonly feature raucous and all-night parties, but it’s important to remember that some gatherings can get out of control if participants aren’t aware of simple holiday safety tips. Thieves and criminals know that people let their guard down during holiday parties because it’s so easy to have fun and relax with friends and family. However, this doesn’t mean it’s okay to forget about having good home security in Idaho that keeps revelers safe.

Be Safe with Alcohol

One of the biggest contributions to dangerous New Year’s celebrations is consumption of alcohol. Toasting with friends ...

Most people make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, smoke less, or stop a bad habit, but a valuable post-holiday exercise is examining the family’s home security to determine whether there might be any weaknesses in the system. Thieves today may use any number of tricks and devices to gain entry into an unsuspecting family’s home. The arrival of the new year is a perfect time to get the family together and look at the home’s safety and security systems.

Burglars Get Creative

Security devices like surveillance cameras and alarms are an important part of ...

With windy and snowy conditions outside, the welcoming environment of a room lit by candles is a wonderful way to enjoy a winter evening. However, candles do represent a significant fire danger if they’re not used properly and with safety awareness. A report in 2012 from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) suggests that there were over 11,600 fires started by candles from 2006 to 2010. Incredibly, these fires caused around 126 deaths every single year.

No family wants to experience the tragedy of an accidental fire, so it is important to use candles properly. Just ...