Plan & Prepare for a Home Fire - Guidance from Fire Damage Repair Professionals
As far as catastrophic disasters go there are few things as devastating as a fire that destroys your property and possessions. A fire in your home is a frightening and an intensely exhausting event, whether it ruins everything or not. But there are certain measures you can take to lessen the odds of a fire from happening in your house. The fire damage restoration team at Paul Davis understands the serious condition of house fires and that's why it's essential to know how to plan and prepare your residence and what to do when a fire happens.Prep Your Residence for the Prospect of a Fire & Always Have a Fire Escape Plan
Safety has to be the number one priority when preparing for a house fire, and smoke alarms and fire extinguishers should be placed throughout the home. Smoke alarms are fundamental since a fire could spring out of the blue and you need to take action as quickly as possible. Something else to consider with smoke alarms is getting ones that can catch smoke caused from electrical fires. Lastly, any kids living in the house need to be educated on how a smoke alarm sounds when it's triggered and what to do when it happens. Next, get your fire escape program in order. Every member in the home should know two ways to escape from each room and where to gather outside when a fire happens. Also, make sure that all members of the household know how to call 911 in the case of a house fire. Also, it's a great idea to create replicas digitally of valuable documents like birth certificates, and you should think about getting a fire safety box to store them in. Take inventory of your personal belongings too in the event that they are burned up by the flames. You could either make a list on paper or take pictures or videos to catalog your stuff.Things to Be Cognizant of to Lessen Home Fire Dangers
While some fires aren't preventable, there are a few things you can do to minimize the prospect of a fire from developing in your house:- Smoking: Cigarettes and cigars are extreme fire perils, and taking your smoking outside is the finest approach to avoid a house fire. If you smoke inside, see that you have deep ashtrays and that you never smoke in bed or while you're drowsy. Also, never smoke inside if someone in the house is using oxygen because this is highly combustible.
- Children: Store any lighters or matches in an area that is out of sight and out of reach from kids to avoid their curiosity from lighting a fire. Explain to your kids that fire is not a toy as well.
- Fireplaces: Obtaining a legitimate fireplace screen is essential for the safety of your residence and everybody in it. Ensure that it is strong enough to stop logs that roll and flares. Also, you should clean and maintain your fireplace routinely to rid the immensely combustible creosote that develops.
- Portable Heaters: It is crucial to place any combustible items at least three feet from a space heater. You'll also want your space heater to have a control mechanism too and other safety features such as turning off if the heater falls over.
- Appliances and Electrical: Shredded cords and broken plugs could easily initiate a house fire, so make sure to check your appliances routinely for any problems. In addition, check up on the switches for your lights since if they're hot, they need to be replaced.
- Cooking: The kitchen is one of the more vulnerable spots for a fire to develop. It's critical to be attentive to what's on the stove or in the oven, and if you have to step out, have somebody watch over it until you return.
