Fire damage can be devastating for a business or property, but there are easy things you can do to make sure you’re lowering your risk of enduring it. Here’s what you need to do to prevent fires before they happen:
- Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas. Test your alarms regularly and replace their batteries as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Generally, alarms should be replaced every ten years.
- Install portable fire extinguishers in areas of your home that are easily accessible and near a means of egress in the event of a fire. Extinguishers should also be installed in garages and other outbuildings.
- Your kitchen is a high-risk area for potential fires. Never leave cooking food on your stovetop or in the oven unattended. Always keep cooking areas free of combustibles.
- Wood-burning appliances must be certified and installed by a WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) certified individual. Have your chimneys cleaned and inspected by a WETT Certified Chimney Sweep annually. Ashes that are removed from your wood-burning appliance must always be placed in a metal container with a lid and set on a non-combustible surface until properly disposed of.
- Always keep combustible items a safe distance from all heat-producing appliances in your home. These include your furnace, boiler, water heater, baseboard, or space heaters, cooking appliances, fireplaces, etc.
- Avoid using candles and never leave burning candles unattended. Always dispose of smoking materials in proper dispensers.
- Keep your clothes dryer vent cleaned as needed to limit highly combustible lint buildup. Dryer vents should never be installed using plastic piping. Only use dryer venting kits that are determined to be safe or made from metal venting materials. Never use screws when fastening sections of piping together, as they will increase the likelihood of lint building up inside the pipe and posing a fire risk.
- Electrical power surges in your home can be destructive to your sensitive electronic devices and pose a potential fire hazard. Installing surge protection devices can help prevent harmful power surges in your home. A licensed electrical contractor can determine what options are best for you.
- Electrical extension cords are meant for temporary power and should never be a substitute for permanently installed electrical wiring. Extension cords are at a higher risk of overheating under certain conditions and may cause a fire.
Thank you for reading our tips on how to prevent fires before they happen. If you need to connect with a broker, you can find one in your community that understands your needs by clicking here. To get a quote and price out your insurance needs quickly and simply, click here.