Seven House Fire Prevention Tips

07/12/2018

You might think that it will never happen to you, but a house fire can break out when you least expect it. According to National Fire Protection Association statistics, the average homeowner will experience five residential fires in their lifetime. Even more alarming, there is about a 10 percent chance that you or someone you know will be injured in a home-related fire incident.

The following tips can help you reduce your odds of becoming another household fire victim:

  1. Never leave cooking unattended and teach your children to stay away from the stove. More fires occur in the kitchen than any other areas of a home. Keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach in the kitchen.
  2. Regularly inspect all electrical cords for wear or fraying and replace any that show signs of damage. Don’t cover cords with rugs or carpeting.
  3. Consider consulting with a professional electrician regarding the capacity of your home’s electrical circuits. The modern home contains a host of electronic gadgets that can overload the electrical system and potentially cause a fire.
  4. Try to smoke outside whenever possible and properly extinguish and dispose of butts and ashes. Careless smoking is another leading cause of house fires, especially when people fall asleep while smoking in bed.
  5. Carefully follow the instructions for installing your dryer’s ventilation system. A surprising number of fires result from clothes dryers. Remove the lint from the trap after each cycle, and periodically clean the area under and behind the dryer.
  6. Have your home’s heating system inspected by a professional during the fall, just before the cold weather arrives. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule, including the regular changing of the unit’s filter.
  7. Avoid using older models of space heaters to supplement the main heating system. Many older models may not have all the safety features that are included with modern units. Keep the heater away from curtains, furniture, newspapers or other items that could easily ignite.

Contact Titan Alarm, Inc. for more fire prevention tips for your Phoenix, Mesa- or Tucson, AZ-area home. We can also assist you in upgrading your fire prevention systems.

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Updated by Titan Alarm on November 5, 2018.