Best Tips for Preventing Fires in Your Home | SERVPRO of East Onondaga

10/23/2019 (Permalink)

A smoke alarm can alert you to smoke and fire in the house. If you experience any damage from a fire contact SERVPRO of East Onondaga Count.

Is there anything that a homeowner fears more than a fire breaking out in their house? A fire cannot only do significant damage to your home, but it can also endanger the lives of you and your family. Because of the harm that fires cause, homeowners should take all reasonable steps to prevent a fire from starting. Here are some top tips to keep in mind.

Use Smoke Alarms Effectively

Smoke alarms alert you to smoke and fire in the house quickly, which gives you time to get your family to safety. A smoke alarm also lets you call the fire department sooner to put out the fire as soon as possible, which can limit the amount of damage to your home. 

If you have a newer home, regulations require that these houses have alarms in every level of the house as well as in and outside of each sleeping area. If you have an older home, make sure you have smoke alarms on each level and outside of each sleeping area or bedroom at the very least.

Naturally, you want to make certain that your smoke alarms are working properly in case an accident happens. Use the test button in your alarms once a month to ensure that everything is in order. If you have alarms that require batteries, replace the batteries every six months.

Practice Good Kitchen Safety

Research shows that most house fires start in the kitchen. Practice good kitchen safety to reduce the chances of a fire breaking out in this area. For example, avoid leaving any flammable material, such as dish cloths or towels, near the stove or oven. Clean the oven and stove top regularly to keep any debris from catching fire.

Do not leave the kitchen when a hot cooking surface, such as a griddle or stove, is in use. When you need to leave the area for any reason, always remove the pot from the stove and turn off the griddle. Another good idea is to keep all pot handles turned toward the stove and do not let them hang over the edge.

Keep a Close Eye on Electrical Cords

Another frequent cause of house fires is electrical cords that are not in good repair. Inspect all of your electrical cords on a regular basis and replace any cords that are frayed or appear damaged. If you use an extension cord, do it only temporarily. Using extension cords long-term is dangerous because they can fail quickly.

Maintain Your Fireplace

If you have a fireplace and chimney, keep them well-maintained as fires can easily start in this location if you are not careful. Have the chimney inspected annually and cleaned regularly to remove soot and creosote.  Place a mesh screen in front of the fireplace so that no sparks land on any nearby carpeting or rugs. Never leave any wood fire unattended.

If you have a gas fireplace, ensure that you have two separate ways to turn off the gas in case of an emergency. 

Have Fire Extinguishers on Hand

A fire extinguisher can prevent a small fire from getting out of hand, so it's a good idea to keep an extinguisher near any area prone to fires, like the kitchen or fireplace. Review the operating instructions of the extinguishers with members of your family so that everyone understands how to operate them if the necessity arises.

Unfortunately, even if you take all reasonable precautions to prevent a fire, one can still break out due to some unforeseen event. If this happens to you, the best course of action is to have the fire damage restoration experts at SERVPRO of East Onondaga County help you get your house back to its original state. Contact us for more information.