Your cool weather guide to electrical and natural gas safety

Ameren Missouri offers safety tips for customers

ST. LOUIS, October 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — As summer rolls into fall and we turn out space heaters, clean gutters and put up Christmas lights, it’s important to recognize potential safety hazards inside and outside of our homes. Household electrical fires cause an estimated 51,000 fires in the United States each year. In recognition of Fire Prevention Week, Ameren Missouri encourages customers to identify any potentially hazardous electrical or natural gas safety issues at home.

“As temperatures start to cool, it’s a great time to start home projects that may introduce some new safety concerns for customers,” he said Tim Frankenberg, fire protection engineer for Ameren Missouri. “By taking a few minutes to understand potential electrical, natural gas, or general safety issues and being prepared, you can help your customers protect their homes and families.”

Electrical fire safety tips

• Keep space heaters away from furniture, curtains, electronics and high-traffic outdoor areas and on a flat, hard, non-combustible floor surface – Not on carpets, furniture or countertops.
• Only connect one heat-generating device at a time, e.g. B. a coffee maker, a toaster or a heater, to a power outlet.
• Plug major appliances (refrigerators, dryers, washing machines, ovens, air conditioners, heaters, and microwaves) directly into a wall outlet. Extension cords and power strips should not be used with these devices.
• Only use extension cords for temporary purposes. If you use an extension cord outdoors, make sure it’s approved for outdoor use.
• Do not run extension cords under rugs or rugs.
• Hire a qualified electrician to perform electrical work in your home.

Outdoor and general safety tips

• Before you begin your outdoor project, look up and around you. Just note the location of power lines and other utilities.
• Consult a professional contractor if trees need to be cut near power lines, and never use water or blower extensions to clean gutters near power lines.
• Examine the condition of the Christmas lights before setting them up. If a mouse has chewed through a wire, you may injure yourself or others when installing it. If you use extension cords, make sure you buy outdoor extension cords. they are clearly marked as “outdoor-safe” on the label.
• Change the batteries in your smoke alarm when you change your clocks to daylight saving time Nov 6. Look at the date on the back and replace the detector if it is more than 10 years old.
• To have a plan. Discuss your escape routes with the whole family. If you have young children, practice different ways to get out of the house and set up a meeting place outside.

Natural gas safety tips

• Use your senses to spot a gas leak. Natural gas is colorless and odorless by nature. leaks sound such as a high-pitched whistle, hiss, or roar near a gas line or appliance Odor like rotten eggs, and outside, they see such as an unusual area of ​​dead vegetation or bubbling mud.
• Exit your home immediately if you suspect a natural gas leak and call Ameren Missouri at 800.552.7583 to report it or dial 911. Do not re-enter the property for any reason until staff instruct you to do so it is safe to enter.

At Ameren Missouri, we place a high priority on working and living safely. Not just because it’s critical to how we deliver reliable energy to our customers, but it’s part of our corporate culture. To learn more, visit AmerenMissouri.com/Safety.

About Ameren Missouri

Ameren Missouri has been providing electricity and gas services for more than 100 years, and the company’s electricity rates are among the lowest in the United States. Ameren Missouri’s mission is to improve the quality of life for its 1.2 million electricity and 135,000 natural gas customers in Central and Eastern Europe Missouri. The Company’s service area covers 64 districts and more than 500 municipalities, including the larger ones st louis Area. Visit Ameren.com/ for more informationMissouri or follow us on Twitter at @Ameren Missouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.

SOURCE Ameren Missouri