Every year in the U.S., fires devastate homes, and the expensive and valued things inside of them. In order to look after the house which you have worked hard to purchase and make into a comfortable home, you should take the essential preventative measures to avoid fires, and protect your family in the occurrence a fire should transpire.
The best prevention is to be careful around fire hazards. Your kitchen is a well-known fire hazard and one of the most common areas for fire problems at home. It doesn’t matter if you have an electric or a gas stove, both lead to fires. It is best to make sure any flammable things, such as anything made of paper or cloth, are at least three feet away from the stove. Double-check your sleeves and either roll them up or wear short-sleeved shirt when using the stove to cook. Also be careful with strings on aprons or even your own hair. If you use a grill, keep it at least ten feet away from your home and other flammables. Another great safety practice is to always stay close by a stove or grill and watch for problems. If that isn’t possible, then you need to at least keep your eyes on a stove or grill at all times.
Heating your home is another area in which some caution will pay off. Fireplaces, for example, should have a screen protecting the rest of the house from stray sparks. Keep logs and kindling away from the fireplace, as well as anything else that is flammable. You should also have your chimney cleaned once a year, in order to get rid of the creosote that builds up in the chimney. Creosote build-up can cause chimney fires, which is one of the most terrible types of house fires.
An additional thing to be particularly cautious with is a space heater. Once more, you’ll want to keep anything that is flammable no less than three feet away from the space heater. Stay away from using an extension cord, because they can actually melt from the amount of current that the space heater draws. A kerosene heater needs even more caution. You need to put the heater on a smooth surface and make sure you follow all of the rules surrounding kerosene heaters. It is also important to make sure you always supervise a kerosene heater while it is in use.
Taking the time to develop a fire plan before a fire ever occurs can be a lifesaver. With a plan in place, your children, your cats and dogs and the overall damage to your home can be less major. If you haven’t already done so, you need to install smoke detectors in your home. The best idea is to have a smoke detector in every room. At a very minimum, you need to have one detector on every floor of your home. You also need to change the batteries in your smoke detector annually, and test the batteries through the year. Biannually, go through the process of a fire drill. Go over the ways out with each member of the family, and pick a safe area that is at least twenty feet from your home where everyone will meet if there is a fire.
Fire extinguishers should be another part of your fire prevention plan. Keep at least one fire extinguisher on every story of your house. Learn how to use a fire extinguisher and teach your family how to use this device as well. Proper fire prevention won’t guarantee that a fire never occurs, but it could possibly save lives.
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