Keeping Your Home Safe From Fire
Experiencing a house fire is devastating. Fortunately, there are easy steps you can take to ensure fire safety at home. Below are some fire safety tips to help protect your home and family.
Smoke Detector Placement is Essential Fire Safety
Smoke detectors might be small, but they play a big role in fire safety. Make sure you have one on every floor of your home, particularly in the garage, kitchen, attic, basement, and in every bedroom. Installing an interconnected system will increase your chances of catching fires before they get out of control. If one detects smoke, they all will sound an alarm.
Test Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors trigger an alarm when there is smoke. This makes it possible to catch a fire before it does major damage. Keep these detectors in good working order by testing them once a month and regularly replacing their batteries. Replace detectors every ten years for the most reliable fire safety.
Don’t forget the fire extinguishers
When it comes to fire safety in your home, fire extinguishers are among the most important pieces of equipment to have. They help to put out small fires before they grow out of control. Make sure you have fire extinguishers on every floor of your home and in the garage, kitchen, and utility room. Frequently inspect them to see that they are correctly pressurized and will work when needed.
Create a Fire Escape Route
Part of every fire safety plan should be to have an escape route if a fire breaks out. Make sure that everyone in your family knows the plan in case of a fire, particularly young children. Teach your family members to first check doorknobs to see whether they are hot and to not open the door if they are. Have a designated meeting place away from the home that’s safe from the fire.
Appliance and Electrical Safety
More fires are caused by electrical issues than most people realize. Replace appliances with worn cords and never run cords under furniture or rugs. If a light switch ever feels hot to the touch, have it replaced as soon as possible. Frequently flickering lights is a sign that something serious could be wrong and should be checked out by a licensed professional.
Additional Tips for Fire Safety
- Install an automatic sprinkler system in your home.
- Make sure your bedroom door is closed at night while you are asleep.
- Make digital copies of birth certificates and other important documents.
- Always make sure the smoke alarm in your kitchen is on while cooking.
Properly Inspected Home Inspection Services offers home inspections in the Tampa area of Florida. Contact us to request our services.
