House Fire Safety Tips
House fires can be unpredictable and occur when you least expect it. Because of the unpredictability we are unable to prevent all house fires, but we can try to reduce the possibility by following these preventative measures:
Cooking Safety
Your kitchen is the heart of your home and fire safety should start here. Cooking, to be more specific, stove-top cooking is one of the leading cause of kitchen fires. Most kitchen fires start when a person starts cooking on a stove-top and leaves the stove unattended. Often, they forget they have a boiling pot of noodles on the stove or they lose track of time and before they know it smoke is billowing out of the kitchen. Stove-top fires aren’t the only culprits, baking something in the oven can also lead to a kitchen fire. It is easier to get distracted and forget you have something in the oven than you may realize.
When cooking, make sure to stay attentive at all times. Stand next to the stove until your food is ready. If you need to leave the room, turn the heat off.
Heating Safety
Usually more common during winter months, fires caused by heating systems are the second most common cause of house fires. Portable space heaters can easily cause surrounding contents to overheat and catch fire. Make sure you read the manufacturer’s tag on your portable space heater and follow their instructions. Portable heaters can easily cause extension cords and outlets to overheat.
If you have a fireplace make sure you clean the fireplace and chimney before starting it or the season. During hotter months debris and animals can call your chimney home.
Electrical Safety
Damaged or overloaded electrical cords are another concern when it comes to fire damage prevention. A cord that becomes frayed, cracked or shows exposed wires can send out sparks, igniting any flammable surfaces. Check all of your electrical cords to ensure they are in good condition. Avoid overloading circuits and space your appliances and electronics out.
Smoke Alarms
As we mentioned before, fires are unpredictable and they can occur day or night. Fires can spread rapidly and by the time they wake you in the middle of the night it may be too late. Smoke alarms can give you an early warning so you can get your family to safety.
When installing a smoke alarm location is crucial. The best locations for a smoke alarm is near a doorway or stairway on the ceiling, in each bedroom or in the corridor outside each room, and in the kitchen. If you install a smoke alarm in the kitchen make sure to position it away from the stove. To avoid “false” alarms consider investing in an ionization smoke alarm.
What should you do in the event of a fire?
Never enter your home after a fire without express permission from a fire marshal or other professionals who have deemed it safe. Be sure you watch for items on the floor so you do not trip and fall and remember that ceiling tiles will be extra heavy due to the water used in putting out the fire. For your safety and quality repair services call a local fire damage restoration company to perform the cleanup and restoration of your property.