Simple Steps For Fire Prevention
Fire damage prevention is as easy as slapping up a few smoke detectors around the house and making sure the fire extinguisher is in the kitchen, right? Unfortunately, that is not enough to prevent a house fire from occurring. As homeowners, we need to take a more comprehensive approach to prevent and prepare for house fires. Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to get the job done.
Fire Prevention Steps
Do you know where your matches, lighters, and other fire starters are? If you have children in your home it is important to keep any fire starting devices up and out of reach.
Burning Candles. Always keep a close eye on a burning candle, even if that candle is in a glass jar. Place burning candles on a dry, protected, heat-resistant surface, and away from any flammable objects. If you are unable to monitor a lit candle consider investing in a candle warmer instead.
Are your smoke detectors in working order? It is a good idea to test your smoke detectors twice a year. A good time to do this is in the spring and fall. Make sure you replace those batteries when needed, smoke detectors will not do any good if the batteries are dead or have been removed.
Cooks don’t leave the kitchen. Do not leave a hot stove unattended. Kitchen fires are more common than you may think. Even the smallest event such as leaving a boiling pot of water on the stove for too long can lead to a fire or smoke damage disaster.
Check your extension cords. Avoid using extension cords when you do not have to. Never plug one extension cord into another extension cord – this can easily overload the outlet. Avoid running a cord under carpets or furniture, this can cause a restriction of power flow, resulting in the buildup of heat and potential electric fire.
Dust and Clear the area around your outlets. Keeping dust away from your outlets can go a long way in preventing a house fire. If your outlet overloads even the tiniest spark could cause excessive dust and hair around the outlet to catch fire quickly.
Dryer lint makes a great fire starter. If you spent time online researching DIY projects for camping you may have seen this statement before and it’s true! Dryer lint does make a great fire starter, and that is why it is important to keep y our lint traps on your dryer and other appliances clean.
These are only a few of the simple steps you can take to prevent a house fire from starting. Keep in mind a fire can start even if you take all the preventative measure in the world. You should have an evacuation plan in place for your household and have emergency contact numbers easily available.
If a fire does break out in your home contact our fire damage cleanup crew at Challis Restoration. The professionals at Challis Restoration are highly trained and will help you through the emotional ups and downs of a fire disaster getting you and your family back into your home as soon as possible.
