5 Vital Fire Safety Tips For Your Home

Did you know that fires can become life-threatening in two minutes? And it can take less than five minutes for an entire home to catch on fire. The best way to protect yourself, your family, and your home from fire damage is to be proactive and prepared, making fire safety a priority.

How To Prevent Home Fires

Most of us grew up being taught simple fire safety information in school. Stop, drop, and roll is a phrase we’re all familiar with. But making sure your home is as protected as possible from fire requires more planning and preparedness.

Install Smoke Alarms

Most homes have at least one or two smoke detectors, but that usually isn’t enough. The National Fire Protection Association recommends homes should have smoke alarms installed:

• Inside every bedroom
• Directly outside each sleeping area
• On every level of your house, including the basement

There are a variety of types of smoke detectors available these days, including ones that can also detect carbon monoxide.

When you are considering where to install your smoke detectors, remember that smoke rises, so mounting them high on the walls or on the ceiling is ideal.

Create A Fire Escape Plan

In the event of a fire, the natural thing to do is panic. By creating a fire safety escape plan, everyone in your home will know what to do and it can help them stay calm in an emergency.

Make sure everyone living in your home knows:

• At least two safe ways to exit the house in case one is blocked by fire or smoke.
• To stay low, pull a shirt or cloth over their face and try to get as close to the floor as possible to avoid smoke.
• The family meeting place once you get outside the house. It should be far enough away from the home to be safe from debris and fire, but close enough where everyone can get there safely on foot.

If you have young children in your home, make sure to practice your fire escape plan. Adding a monthly home fire drill to your to-do list can be a simple way to help make sure your family stays safe in a fire emergency.

Clean And Position Home Appliances Safely

A lot of home fire prevention tips can be summed up as making sure appliances are operating safely.

Outdoor Grills

Keep all outdoor grills (charcoal, propane, etc) at least 3 feet away from the house, bushes, and anything else potentially flammable outside.

Space Heaters

If you need to use a space heater, never let it run unsupervised or overnight. Use a model that will automatically turn off if it gets tipped over and keep it 3 feet away from flammable objects.

Heating Systems

Whether you use your home’s chimney, wood-burning stove, or rely on central heating from your furnace, it’s important to have your home’s heating systems cleaned annually and serviced.

Fire Extinguishers

Every floor of your home should have a fire extinguisher that is easy to access. Remember, fire extinguishers can expire, so make sure the ones in your home and current and that everyone knows how to use them safely.

Say No To Unattended Candles

An estimated 8,200 home fires are started by candles each year according to the National Fire Protection Association. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy candlelight and fragrance in your home! It does mean you need to think about safety when you burn them.

Never leave a candle burning unattended, keep candles away from children and pets, and never burn a candle near something that could catch fire (curtains, tissues, etc).

Check Your Home’s Appliances & Wiring

One of the other common causes of a house fire is a faulty appliance or wiring. There are simple ways you can make sure your home’s appliances are safe and avoid turning them into fire hazards.

Electrical Wiring

Wiring in your home ages and can fray over time, so having a professional electrician check your home’s wiring is always a good idea. This is especially important for new homeowners as part of the inspection process.

Lamps And Lighting

Pay attention to the wattage recommendations on your light fixtures and only use light bulbs that match those recommendations. Using a higher-watt bulb can cause the lamp to short out, overheat, and become a serious fire risk.

Laundry Appliances

Your dryer can be a serious fire safety hazard if you don’t regularly clean out the lint traps. Remember to keep the lint trap inside your dryer clean between loads of laundry and be sure the outdoor dryer vent is clear as well.

Lake City Restoration Is Here To Help

If your home or business has been damaged by fire, we’re here to help. We have the experience to help you navigate the fire damage restoration process and are available 24/7 for emergencies. 

We even have experience working with local fire departments to help you navigate this difficult time and get you and your family safely back in your home after a fire.

Originally published in 2021, this article has been updated to include the latest and most relevant fire prevention information.