There are over 350,000 house fires each year in the United States. As the weather heats up and fire danger increases, it is important to know how you can prevent house fires. If you are unable to prevent fires in your home, you may need the help of fire restoration, smoke damage restoration, and an odor removal company.
Are you interested in learning about fire prevention, how to avoid house fires, and how to decrease the risk of fires in your home? Keep reading these top 10 tips to avoid house fires!
How To Avoid House Fires
The only way to protect yourself from house fires is to practice adequate fire safety measures. Here are 10 tips that will help you prevent fires in your home.
1. Educate your family
One of the most vital aspects of fire prevention is to make sure everyone in your home knows how to stay safe and knows what they can do to prevent fires in the home.
This also includes educating children. Because children are so curious, they may inadvertently cause a fire with their exploring. By teaching your children about fire safety from a young age, you can ensure they will stay protected.
It is also important to teach them small ways that they can prevent fires. For example, you can teach them to turn off a stove, to keep blankets away from space heaters, and you can even teach them how to use a fire extinguisher!
2. Test smoke alarms
Another vital way you can prevent house fires is to regularly test your smoke alarms. Because fires may happen when you are sleeping or unaware of your surroundings, it is important to have something alert you of any smoke or other signs of a fire.
If you cannot prevent a fire in your home, a smoke alarm will give you time to escape and keep you safe. However, according to the National Fire Protection Association, close to 5 million households in the United States don't have smoke alarms.
3. Inspect heating sources
Heating sources in your home are a common cause of household fires. Because their job is to heat your home or other elements, they can easily overheat and cause a fire.
You can get a technician to come and inspect your home if you are worried about your heating sources! You can also clean your air filters frequently to prevent buildup.
It is also vital to practice safety with space heaters in the winter months. Ensure your portable heaters are far away from flammable items and aren't at risk of tipping over.
4. Remove flammable products
There are many products in homes that are highly flammable. Other than outdoor items, like grass clippings and leaves, other household items may cause a fire in your home.
You want to be safe with items like rubbing alcohol, hairspray, cooking oil, and even nail polish! High temperatures can cause these items to catch fire. Make sure you store any flammable household item in a cool, dry place.
If they are exposed to high temperatures, they may cause a house fire.
5. Be safe with candles
Something that may seem obvious with fire safety is that you should practice caution when using candles. However, more than 15,000 house fires are caused by candles.
To use candles safely, make sure they are burning far away from clothes, hair, and other things in the room. It is also vital to keep candles out of reach from children and pets. Otherwise, they may get knocked over accidentally.
Finally, make sure you always blow out your candles when you leave the room!
6. Own and know how to use a fire extinguisher
Having a fire extinguisher in your home is a great way to stop a house fire before it causes too much damage. However, many people who own a fire extinguisher don't know how to use it.
Make sure you carefully read the instructions before you are presented with a situation where you need to use your extinguisher!
7. Be careful with kitchen cooking
Many things can catch fire when you are cooking in your kitchen. To practice proper fire safety, you want to make sure you are careful, especially when cooking with oil!
It is also vital to keep the stove and oven in your kitchen clean. When there is leftover food cooked onto your stove, it can catch fire. It is also important to keep cloth, such as towels, hot pads, and more, away from the heating elements.
8. Check your cords and appliances
Damaged cords are another common cause of house fires. Often, cords can be frayed or chewed by a pet or pest. If your wires are damaged or exposed, they can easily catch on fire. Make sure your cords are in good condition and don't overheat.
9. Keep flammable items away from your home exterior
Something you can do to prevent both outdoor and indoor fires is to keep flammable items away from the exterior of your home. These flammable items include garbage, woodpiles, leaves, and more.
In dry heat fires, it is easy for dry leaves and wood to catch fire. To avoid house fires, keep these stored far away from your home. If you don't, they may catch on fire and can transfer the fire to your home.
10. Clean your chimney
Another common cause of house fires is due to dirty chimneys. Other than house fires, chimneys that have debris built up can cause many other issues. To prevent a chimney fire, you must get your chimney cleaned at least once a year.
A professional chimney sweep can make sure your chimney is in good shape.
Contact A Professional Fire Restoration, Smoke Damage Restoration Company!
House fires are a huge issue for Americans, but they can often be prevented. However, if you have experienced loss after a house fire, you may get help from a fire restoration and a smoke damage restoration company. They can help you prepare your home and may even offer odor removal if your home smells like smoke.
If you have had a house fire, Complete Fire and Water Restoration can help! Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help as you are rebuilding after a fire!