The Significance of Planning for Home Fires - How to Prepare & Plan
As far as cataclysmic disasters go there are few things as staggering as a fire that damages your property and personal belongings. A fire in your residence is a harrowing and an emotionally draining situation, whether it destroys everything or not. But there are specific precautions you can implement to decrease the chances of a fire from happening in your house. The fire damage restoration team at Paul Davis understands the severe condition of home fires and that's why it's crucial to know how to plan and prepare your property and what to do when a fire occurs.Get Your Home Prepped for the Prospect of a Fire & Always Have a Fire Escape Strategy
One of the more fundamental things you can do to prepare for a home fire is to have safety rules in place. Because not all fires are avoidable, being safe is a necessity. All properties need the proper amount of smoke alarms and fire extinguishers located throughout the property. Additionally, you should think about obtaining smoke alarms that detect smoke that is caused by electrical fires since faulty wiring is one of the primary causes of home fires. Children in the home should be taught how a smoke alarm sounds when it goes off and what to do when it does. Implement fire escape routes and make sure everybody is informed of them. There should be two exits from every room in the property. You'll also need to have a designated meeting location outside of the property so that you know everybody gets out safely. Something else you should do is protect your important items such as photographs, birth certificates and passports. You can create digital copies and store them into a cloud drive for safe keeping, and you can get a fire safe box to keep the hard copies safe too. Lastly, take inventory of all your personal belongings for insurance purposes in the event they're consumed by the flames.Things to Keep in Mind to Decrease Home Fire Risk
Despite the fact that some fires are out of your power, here are some steps you should execute to prevent a home fire:- Cooking: It's vital to be observant in the kitchen and to not ignore cooking food alone. Without exception have somebody there to monitor everything going on.
- Appliances and Electrical: Frayed cords and damaged plugs could easily start a home fire, so make sure to check your appliances regularly for any problems. Also, keep an eye on your light switches since if they're hot, they have to be changed.
- Portable Heaters: Never allow a portable heater unattended, and keep flammable items three feet away from it. It's also fundamental for your heater to contain the proper safety features. For instance, it shutting off when it tips over.
- Fireplaces: Creosote is very combustible and it develops in your fireplace after it's been in use, so always get your fireplace cleaned routinely. Having a big, strong screen is also imperative to prevent sparks from flying into the room and rolling logs.
- Children: Children are inquisitive and fire is alluring for them, so instruct your kids that fire is not a toy. Additionally, keep your lighters and matches in a spot that is out of reach and out of sight.
- Smoking: Inside smoking makes your property exposed to home fires, so the best way to prevent a disaster is to smoke outdoors. If you do smoke indoors, have the suitable ashtrays to prevent a cigarette or cigar from falling onto the floor. Yet, if somebody in the home is on oxygen, do not smoke indoors because oxygen is very combustible.
