The Significance of Planning for Home Fires – What to Plan & Prepare

The fire damage repair experts from Paul Davis understand how detrimental home fires are. Not only can home fires destroy your home and personal possessions, but they are emotionally jarring and make you feel unsafe. Fires can happen without a moment’s notice and can be caused by lots of things, so a lot of the time they’re out of your control like natural disasters or your neighbor’s house being on fire. Yet, there are a few precautions you can take to lessen the dangers of a home fire in your residence.

Form and Practice an Emergency Strategy for Your Home

One of the more fundamental things you can do to prepare for a home fire is to have safety practices in place. Because not all fires are preventable, being safe is a necessity. Every residence needs the correct amount of fire extinguishers and smoke alarms set around the property. You should also think about buying smoke alarms that identify smoke that is generated by electrical fires because damaged wiring is one of the main causes of home fires. Kids in the home should be educated on how a smoke alarm sounds when it goes off and what to do when it does.

Come up with fire escape routes and ensure everyone is mindful of them. Always have two exits from all rooms in the residence. You’ll also want to have a planned meeting area outside of the residence so that you know everyone makes it out safely.

It’s also a great idea to create digital copies of worthy documents like birth certificates, and you should think about getting a fire safety box to store them in. Record all of your personal possessions as well in the event that they are engulfed in flames. Either prepare a list on paper or snap some pictures or videos to record your property.

Things to Be Conscious of to Lessen Home Fire Dangers

While some fires aren’t avoidable, there are a few things you can do to minimize the chances of a fire from occurring in your residence:

  • Smoking: Indoor smoking makes your residence susceptible to home fires, so the best method to avoid a calamity is to smoke outside. If you do smoke inside, make sure you have proper ashtrays to stop a cigarette or cigar from rolling onto the ground. But if someone in the residence is using oxygen, do not smoke inside as oxygen is very combustible.
  • Children: Explain to your kids that fire is not something to play with, and be sure to keep lighters and matches in an area that is out of sight and out of reach.
  • Fireplaces: Creosote is very combustible and it builds up in your fireplace after it’s been in use, so always get your fireplace cleaned and maintained routinely. Obtaining a big, durable screen is also necessary to avoid sparks from coming into the room and rolling logs.
  • Portable Heaters: It’s critical to place any combustible or flammable items at least three feet away from a portable heater. You’ll also want your portable heater to have a control mechanism too and other safety features such as turning off when the heater falls over.
  • Appliances and Electrical: Do a routine check on your appliances and ensure the plugs and cords are in good condition. If your light switches are hot to the touch, then it’s time to switch them out.
  • Cooking: The kitchen is one of the more susceptible places for a fire to develop. It’s fundamental to pay attention to what’s on the stove or in the oven, and when you have to step out, have someone keep an eye on it until you return.

Get in Touch with the Fire Damage Repair Technicians from Paul Davis

If you experience a home fire, don’t hesitate to reach out to Paul Davis. Our professional team has the skills you need with fire damage restoration services and we can have your residence back to a livable condition. Contact Paul at 888-473-7669 and a franchise near your area will be available to help.