12 Broadcaster Press September 26, 2017 www.broadcasteronline.com F all Home Improvement & Car Care Reduce Cold-Weather What To Do When Your Fire Risk Vehicle Breaks Down Plenty of things heat up when the temperature drops, including the risk for fire hazards. Fireplaces, stoves, heating systems, candles, and even electric lights are used more often during the winter than any other time of year, so it makes sense that the risk of home fires increases when the mercury drops. The U.S. Fire Administration says 905 people die in winter home fires each year. Cooking is the leading cause of all home fires and contributes to around $2 billion in property loss each year. Understanding potential risks and exercising caution can help homeowners protect themselves, their families and their homes from fire. Cooking Home heating fires peak between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., when many people are home preparing dinner. The following steps, courtesy of the American Red Cross, can improve safety in the kitchen and reduce the likelihood of a home fire. • Never leave cooking food unattended, as it can take just seconds for fires to ignite. • Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stove or other appliances that generate heat. • Clean regularly to prevent grease buildup. • Make sure appliances are turned off before leaving the room or going to bed. Heating The National Fire Protection Association warns that heating is the second leading cause of home fires, deaths and injuries in the United States. The NFPA offers these safety guidelines. • Install heating appliances according to manufacturers’ instructions or have a professional do the installation. • Fuel-burning equipment needs to vent to the outside. • Never use an oven to heat a home. • Keep anything that can burn away from heating equipment, including portable space heaters. • Clean and inspect heating appliances regularly. • Turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed. Electric The National Safety Council estimates that between 600 and 1,000 people die each year from electrocution. Electricity also can contribute to home fires. Knowing what to do when a car breaks down can make such unfortunate situations much less stressful for drivers. Smartphones and wifi networks may make it less stressful to cope with broken down vehicles. However, wifi networks are not always accessible in remote locations, so drivers would be wise to revisit these tips for handling broken down vehicles, courtesy of Esurance, in advance of their next road trip. • Turn on hazard lights. Hazard lights inform other drivers that something is wrong with your vehicle, and the sight of hazard The Energy Education Council offers these safety lights typically compels fellow motorists to give suggestions. drivers a wide berth and • Never force plugs into facilitate their moving off outlets. • Check that cords are not of the roadway. frayed or cracked. Do not • Attempt to get off the run cords under carpets or highway. After turning on their hazard lights, drivplace them in high-traffic ers who know or suspect areas. • Use extension cords only something is wrong with their vehicles should try on a temporary basis. to get off the highway. • Make sure light bulbs are the proper wattage for Move into the right-hand lane as soon as possible, fixtures. ultimately trying to get • Install ground fault onto the shoulder. Avoid circuit interrupters in the left-hand shoulder if kitchens, baths, laundry possible, as the left lane rooms, and elsewhere, is a passing lane and making sure to test them motorists likely won’t be regularly. expecting vehicles in this • Check periodically for area of the highway. loose wall receptacles and loose wires. Listen for • Turn the steering wheel popping or sizzling sounds away from the road. Broken down vehicles are behind walls. Home fires are no joke and can be prevented with simple safety checks. ? MetroCreativeConnection Signs Rotors May BroadcasterOnline.com “Get Connected!” Need to be Replaced TODD’S for Smooth Braking ELECTRIC SERVICE The braking system of most vehicles consists of brake pads, calipers and metal discs called rotors that work to slow down a vehicle. When the vehicle needs to stop, the calipers squeeze the brake pads Design/Build • Fiber Cabling • Commercial • Residential against the spinning rotors. Because a lot of friction is generated, Service Calls • Boom Truck with Auger • Trenching rotors, like brake pads, need to be replaced periodically. However, drivers may not know when these components need to be changed or Serving the if other services can be done to prolong the life of the rotors a little Beresford and longer. 1221 Cornell St., Vermillion, SD • 605-624-5642 Vermillion Areas 201 NW 13th St., Ste. 3, Beresford, SD • 800-560-2518 The first step is to inspect the braking system. A healthy brake rotor will be smooth and have an uninterrupted surface that is free of dust, grooves and grit, advises automotive retailer CarsDirect. If brake pads have caused grooves to form, the pads or the rotors may need to be replaced. Another tactic is to listen Furnace Tune-Ups should be done for brake noise when driving. by a Kalins trained technician. Mechanics state that noise is WHY? commonly associated with bad brake rotors. If the rotors •Because we have over 95 years in produce squealing or squeaking the business noises or even scraping noises while braking, they may need to •Prevents costly breakdowns be replaced. •Extends the life of your equipment Warped rotors also may produce vibrations that can be felt when the brakes are applied. Bob Bierle A pulsing or rough feeling can Kalins Indoor Comfort services all Service Technician vibrate through the entire chasmakes and models. 20 Years Experience sis, says YourMechanic, a vehicle repair and advice website. Speak with a qualified mechanic to see if a lathe can be used to shave off a little of the rotors and get a few more miles out of them. Otherwise, to ensure safe, adequate braking, rotors will need to be replaced anywhere When You Want Comfort…You Want Kalins! from 30,000 to 70,000 miles depending on the type of brake pads Vermillion: (888) 871-2635 • Yankton: (888) 409-8094 • Sioux City: (888) 706-4544 and motorists’ driving style. “The Line To Power” 1-800-560-2518 Get ready for the cold weather! Call today to schedule a Furnace Tune-Up! ? MetroCreativeConnection kalinsindoor.com unpredictable, and drivers may not have the luxury of pulling over onto flat road surfaces. Turning the steering wheel away from the road prevents it from rolling into traffic if drivers are forced to pull over on an incline. • Be especially careful before exiting the vehicle. Exiting a broken down vehicle can be very dangerous, especially when drivers are forced to pull over on busy highways. Drivers who have pulled over into the right shoulder should wait to exit the car until there is ample time for them to get out and safely make it to the shoulder. If necessary, crawl across the front seat and exit using the passenger-side door. All passengers should exit the vehicle on the passenger-side if the car has been pulled onto the right shoulder. • Call for help. Only after they have safely gotten their vehicles off the highway should drivers call for help. Passengers may want to avoid calling until the car is off the road as well, as it can make for faster relief if callers wait until they know their exact location to call for help. • Set up flares or triangles behind the vehicle. If it’s safe to do so, set up flares or triangles behind the vehicle. If the flares or triangles are buried in the trunk, drivers can ask a passenger to serve as lookout and warn them if they need to get away from the vehicle. • Pop the hood. An opened hood is another indicator that a vehicle is broken down and can be especially valuable to drivers who do not have flares or triangles. • Wait for help. Do not attempt to fix the vehicle on the side of the highway. Doing so leaves drivers vulnerable to oncoming motorists. ? MetroCreativeConnection HERREN • SCHEMPP BUILDING SUPPLY Locally Owned & Operated Headquarters for the Builder/Handyman • Service • Building Materials • Ceilings • Cabinetry • Insulation • Lumber • Plywood • Sheetrock • Siding • Roofing • Doors • Windows • Milwork • Paint 1000 W. Cherry St. • Vermillion, SD Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. • Sat 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 888-624-2058 • 605-624-2058 www.herrenschempp.com - ROOFING - Asphault Shingle - Steel - Flat - EPDM - SIDING - LP Smart - Cement - Vinyl - Stone - GUTTERS - Heavy Duty Seamless - Gutter Guard - EXTERIOR PAINTING Sherwin-Williams Pro STORM RESTORATION - HAIL OR WIND Certified Installation Experts Call Steve or Karl 605-595-7809 • Vermillion, SD