The Importance of Planning for Home Fires – How to Plan & Prepare

When it comes to challenging life events, there aren’t many events as taxing than a fire that sabotages your residence and personal possessions. As a fire damage repair company, Paul Davis understands what a severe threat house fires are. Out of the blue, all it takes is a couple of minutes before a fire sparks. A fire in your residence is a horrible and emotionally exhausting event, whether it destroys everything or not. Yet, you can execute specified things to ensure that you are all set for when a fire happens.

Have Fire Escape Strategy at All Times in Position

One of the most critical things you can do to prepare for a house fire is to have safety measures in place. Because not all fires are preventable, being safe is necessary. All properties need the proper amount of fire extinguishers and smoke alarms placed throughout the property. You should also think about getting smoke alarms that detect smoke that is caused by electrical fires since damaged wiring is one of the main causes of house fires. Children in the house should be educated on how a smoke alarm sounds when it‘s triggered and what to do when it does.

Next, get your emergency routes in place. Every member in the home needs to know two ways to escape from every room and where to congregate outside when a fire occurs. Also, ensure that everyone knows how to call 911 in the situation of an emergency.

Making a record of your personal property is an excellent idea for insurance purposes just in case all your property is damaged by the flames. Additionally, you’ll want to keep important documents such as birth certificates and passports in a fire safe box, and you can make digital copies and upload them to a cloud drive for back ups.

What to Keep in Mind to Lessen Home Fire Hazards

There are some aspects to keep in mind so you can lessen the dangers and perils that are commonly correlated with house fires:

  • Smoking: Outdoor smoking is the a great way to avert a house fire from taking place. It’s imperative to not smoke indoors if someone in the residence is on oxygen since oxygen is highly combustible. When you smoke inside, don’t smoke in bed and while lethargic and have ashtrays that are deep.
  • Children: Children are inquisitive and fire is alluring for them, so instruct your kids that fire is not a toy. In addition, keep your matches and lighters in an area that’s out of reach and out of sight.
  • Fireplaces: Creosote is extremely flammable and it builds up in your fireplace after it’s been used, so always get your fireplace cleaned routinely. Getting a big, sturdy screen is also necessary to prevent sparks from entering the room and rolling logs.
  • Portable Heaters: It is critical to keep any combustible items at least three feet away from a space heater. You’ll also need your space heater to have a control mechanism too and other safety features such as shutting off when the heater falls over.
  • Appliances and Electrical: Shredded cords and damaged plugs could easily initiate a house fire, so make sure to check your appliances routinely for any problems. Also, check up on the switches for your lights since if they’re hot, they have to be replaced.
  • Cooking: It’s vital to be aware in the kitchen and to not ignore cooking food unattended. Always have someone there to watch what’s going on.

Reach Out to the Fire Damage Repair Experts at Paul Davis

Home fires happen, whether it’s something out of your power or a mishap, Paul Davis is here to help out. Our fire damage repair services can restore your home back to normal again. Reach out to us at 888-473-7669 and a franchise in your location will be there for you.