House fires can cause significant damage or destruction to your valuable property, including irreplaceable possessions. While electrical issues are a common cause, most fires are a result of negligence such as kitchen fires from cooking with oil.
Fortunately, many home fires are easily avoidable by implementing the following tips as part of your home fire prevention plan.
Fortunately, many home fires are easily avoidable by implementing the following tips as part of your home fire prevention plan.
Outside
Keep barbecues clean and well-maintained.Keep barbecues away from fences, vinyl siding or anything that is combustible.
Always store propane tanks outside.
Always lift the barbecue lid up before opening the tank valve of a propane gas barbecue.
Search for leaks by opening the valve of a propane gas tank and use soapy water over all moving parts. If there is a leak, bubbles will appear.
Extinguish a grease fire by using baking soda or a fire extinguisher.
Keep piles of firewood and garbage away from the home.
Inside Your Home
Equip your home with smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and make sure they are well-maintained and installed in the proper locations.Buy high-quality fire extinguishers and keep them handy in case of minor fires.
Have your heating system serviced regularly by a professional.
Remove the lint from your dryer filter after every use and have your dryer vent cleaned annually.
Never leave the stove unattended when cooking.
Store cooking oil away from the stove.
Unplug cooking appliances after use.
Use a deep fryer rather than an open pan for frying.
Avoid using plug dividers, as they can overload an electrical outlet.
Replace old and/or damaged electrical cords.
Never let candles burn unattended.
Do not burn candles on, or near, anything flammable and keep them out of the reach of children and pets.
Finding a licensed contractor who has the right skill set to manage the repairs or inspection on your home is recommended.
If You Are A Smoker
Always wet cigarette butts before putting them in the trash.Never extinguish cigarette butts in flowerpots or planters outside.
Never leave lit cigarettes unattended.
Avoid smoking anywhere you might fall asleep.