People tend to do a lot of cooking and baking this time of year, as well as using their furnaces more often. Some even make use of wood-burning fireplaces, firepits, and stoves. With this in mind, it is important to be mindful of the possibility of a house fire. Here are a few crucial ways to make sure your home is secured against this type of risk.
Install Smoke Detectors and Fire Extinguishers
The first thing you should do when fireproofing your home is make sure that you have taken the right preventative measures. If your home doesn’t have a smoke detector installed in every room, especially bedrooms and rooms with fuel-powered appliances, then take steps to remedy that. If you do already have smoke detectors, test each one to make sure the batteries are fresh. Keep an ample supply of replacement batteries on hand.
Additionally, you should have a chemical fire extinguisher on each floor of your home. Make sure that you and your family members know not only where your extinguishers are kept, but how to use them effectively.
Avoid Clutter and Other Fuel Sources
Take yourself on a little tour of your home, looking for hazards that could make it easier for a fire to burn out of control. An easy way to lower your fire risk is to quickly eliminate these. Clean up stacks of accumulated papers or flammable debris inside your home. Make sure that your trees, shrubs, and foliage are properly pruned back to prevent flames from burning out of control outside as well.
Check Heaters and Appliances
Regardless of the time of year, you should always make sure you regularly check your heaters, appliances, and fireplaces to make sure they don’t present any fire hazards. They should be cleaned thoroughly and checked for debris on a regular basis, and they should receive a thorough once-over if they are being put into use this winter for the first time in months. Don’t forget that you should call in a professional to give appliances a tune-up at least once a year.
Make sure that you are not overloading electrical outlets or using any appliances with frayed or faulty wiring. Finally, keep all papers and flammable items away from outlets, lamps, and candles.
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