How to Protect Your Home Against Fires
Your home is one of your most precious assets. Even if you don’t own a home and are renting, the place where you sleep at night, cook your meals, and relax with your family is one of the most important things you have. So can you imagine what would happen if your home were to catch on fire?
It’s a scary thought for anyone, but luckily there are plenty of things you can do to prevent fires in your home or yard.
Know the Risks
The first step to keeping your home and family safe is to educate yourself on what causes house fires and how to stay safe. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), some of the top causes of house fires are related to cooking, smoking, heating, candles, and electrical problems. Just being aware of these and their proper uses can go a long way in preventing fires.
Develop Safe Habits
Working to create good habits associated with cooking, candles, heating, smoking and electricity is essential. For example, when cooking, make it a practice never to leave food unattended on the stove or in the oven. If you’re always there to keep an eye on it, you will be able to put out any fires while they are small and prevent their spread to the rest of the house.
Keep heat sources clear. Keep material, blankets, pillows, or furniture from blocking or touching heat sources. These include vents, space heaters, electric and gas stoves, pellet stoves, fireplaces, and more.
Make a habit of completely putting out cigarette butts when you finish smoking. This can be placing them in sand or an ashtray or dousing them with water before throwing them in the trash. Don’t smoke in bed or on the couch, where hot ashes can fall and catch fire.
Don’t overload electrical outlets with multiple plugs. They can only handle a certain amount of energy surging through them. If you need to use some sort of extension, purchase one with surge protection.
Keep Up With Preventative Measures
Not only are education and creating good habits important, but there are other measures you can take to protect your family and home. For example, some companies offer fire safety services NYC that can inspect your home and ensure that your smoke alarms are correctly installed. They can also help you develop safety plans in case of fire and install fire extinguishers and fire suppression systems.
It may seem like a lot of time or money, but anything you invest in preventing house fires is well worth it. You’ll rest more easily at night knowing that you and your family are sleeping safely.