Be Aware of Warning Signs and Heat Your Home Safely This Winter, Urges Home Warranty Experts at American Home Shield

MEMPHIS, TN--(Marketwired - January 13, 2015) - American Home Shield, the leader in the home warranty industry, and a business unit of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV), is urging homeowners not just to create a comfortable home this winter, but to keep themselves and their families safe from potential heating system hazards by learning and being aware of several warning signs that may point to potential problems.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths. Half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January, and February. American Home Shield wants homeowners to remember several critical signs when they are indoors this winter:

• Always be aware of gas odors. If you smell gas around your heating unit or home, leave the area and call your gas company immediately.
• Be sure your pilot light is burning a steady blue flame. If it is not, call your heating professional or local gas company.
• Take a close look at your exhaust fan for any rust, damage or deterioration. If you notice any, call a qualified professional and describe what you see to determine whether a repair is needed.
• Take extra care with space heaters. They should be plugged directly into a wall outlet, never into an extension cord, and turned off at night. When in use, always be sure space heaters are a safe distance from curtains and other flammable items.

"One of the most important things that a homeowner can do is to have their heating system inspected and serviced annually by a licensed professional," said Dave Quandt, vice president of field services for American Home Shield. "Not only can it help keep your heating unit in top condition, but it can help you avoid potentially dangerous safety issues down the road. We work with more than 3,200 residential heating contractors across the country, and they tell us that homeowners often take for granted that they need to be proactive in maintaining their equipment, and that they are often unaware of what danger signs to watch for."

Homeowners can also watch helpful videos about home heating warning signs and a variety of other home maintenance tips at www.YouTube.com/TheAHSTeam, the American Home Shield YouTube channel. The short, informational videos are hosted by licensed contractor and TV personality David Leon.

For more information about American Home Shield, including additional maintenance and safety tips, and home warranty plans, visit www.ahs.com.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) information reproduced from NFPA's website, copyright NFPA 2014.

About American Home Shield
American Home Shield founded the home warranty industry in 1971 and remains the industry leader. Together with all of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, American Home Shield services over 1.5 million customers in all 50 states. The companies operate four customer service centers, employ approximately 1,800 employees and have a national contractor network made up of over 11,000 independent home service contractors and more than 45,000 service technicians. American Home Shield is a business unit of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV), one of the world's largest residential and commercial service networks. The company's brands include Terminix, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Restore, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. Go to www.ahs.com for more information about American Home Shield or follow the company online at www.facebook.com/team.ahs or www.twitter.com/AHS_Warranty.

About ServiceMaster
ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV) is a leading provider of residential and commercial services, operating through an extensive service network of more than 7,000 company-owned, franchised and licensed locations. The company's portfolio of well-recognized brands includes Terminix (termite and pest control), American Home Shield (home warranties), ServiceMaster Restore (disaster restoration), ServiceMaster Clean (janitorial), Merry Maids (residential cleaning), Furniture Medic (furniture repair) and AmeriSpec (home inspections). During the last 12 months, the company served approximately 5 million residential and commercial customers through an employee base of approximately 13,000 company associates and a franchise network that independently employs an estimated 33,000 additional people. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn. Go to www.servicemaster.com for more information about ServiceMaster or follow the company at twitter.com/ServiceMaster or facebook.com/TheServiceMasterCo.

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