Prepare & Plan for a Home Fire - Instruction from Fire Damage Restoration Experts
The fire damage restoration professionals at Paul Davis know how serious home fires can be. Not only can home fires ruin your property and personal belongings, but they are emotionally unsettling and make you feel unsafe. Fires can happen in a matter of minutes and can be generated by lots of things, and they can be out of your control such as your neighbor's house being on fire or natural disasters. Nevertheless, there are still some precautions you can take to minimize the risk of a home fire in your residence.Design and Practice an Emergency Strategy
Not all home fires are avoidable and you can only do so much. That's why the most critical thing for you to do is have safety strategies in place. Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers are a necessity, and always check that you have the right number to suit your property. Nevertheless, you should consider installing smoke alarms that can catch smoke from fires produced by electricity, because damaged wiring is one of the main causes of home fires. When you have kids, you'll want to train them on what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do when one goes off. Other precautions include outlining fire escape routes in your residence. Create a plan and make sure everyone in the home knows the fire escape routes – there needs to be two exits for each room in the home. It's also essential to have a planned meeting place outside so you know who gets out of the home. Taking inventory of your personal property is a great idea for insurance reasons in case all your stuff is destroyed by the flames. Additionally, you'll want to keep important items such as passports and birth certificates in a strong box, and you can make digital replicas and upload them to a cloud drive for added measure.Things to Keep in Mind to Lessen Home Fire Hazards
Even though some fires aren't preventable, there are some things you can do to decrease the odds of a fire from happening in your residence:- Fireplaces: It's critical to consistently clean and inspect your fireplace and chimney for creosote and other damage. Get a screen for your fireplace that is sturdy and large enough to block logs from rolling and catch flying sparks.
- Portable Heaters: Guarantee your heater has a control mechanism and a thermostat, and it needs to switch off if it falls over.
- Smoking: Cigars and cigarettes are severe hazards for fire, and taking your smoking outside is the best approach to avoid a home fire. When you smoke inside, check that you have deep ashtrays and that you never smoke in bed or while you're drowsy. In addition, not under any circumstance should you smoke inside when someone in the home is on oxygen because this is extremely combustible.
- Children: Keep any lighters or matches in an area that is out of sight and out of reach from kids to stop their inquisitive nature from lighting a fire. Teach your kids that fire is not a toy as well.
- Cooking: Remain in the area at all times while food is in the oven or on the stove and don't leave it unattended. When you need to leave the area, get someone to keep an eye on the food until you return.
- Appliances and Electrical: Worn down cords and damaged plugs could easily form a home fire, so be sure to check your appliances regularly for any issues. Also, keep an eye on your light switches because if they're hot, they need to be replaced.
