Fire Damage Restoration Professional Guide – Planning for a Home Fire
As far as cataclysmic accidents go there aren’t many events as devastating as a fire that destroys your home and personal belongings. A fire in your home is a harrowing and an intensely draining situation, whether it ruins everything or not. But there are certain precautions you can implement to decrease the odds of a fire from occurring in your house. The fire damage restoration team from Paul Davis understands the severe situation of home fires and that’s why it’s essential to know how to plan and prepare your residence and what to do when a fire happens.
The Priority of Fire Escape Strategies
Not all home fires are stoppable and you can only do so much. That is why the most vital thing you can do is have safety strategies in place. Fire extinguishers and smoke alarms are necessary, and make sure you have the proper amount to accommodate your house. But you should consider installing smoke alarms that can catch smoke from fires caused by electricity, because faulty wiring is one of the main causes of home fires. When there are kids in the home, you’ll want to teach them on how the smoke alarm sounds and what to do when in the incident where one goes off.
Other safety measures consist of planning out fire escape routes in your house. Create a plan and make sure everyone in the home knows the fire escape routes – there needs to be two exits for every room in the home. Also, it’s critical to have a designated meeting spot outside so you know who gets out of the home and who is absent.
Something else you need to do is secure your valuable things such as photographs, birth certificates and passports. You can create digital replicas and place them into cloud storage as a backup, and you can purchase a strong box to keep the real copies secure as well. Finally, make a record of all your personal belongings for insurance purposes in case they’re consumed by the flames.
What to Keep in Mind to Decrease Home Fire Hazards
While some fires aren’t preventable, there are some things you can do to minimize the chances of a fire from developing in your house:
- Fireplaces: Creosote is very flammable and it develops in your fireplace and chimney after it’s been in use, so always get your fireplace cleaned and maintained consistently. Getting a large, strong screen is also necessary to prevent sparks from coming into the room and rolling logs.
- Portable Heaters: It is very important to keep 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 as well as other safety features such as turning off if it falls over.
- Smoking: Indoor smoking makes your residence exposed to home fires, so the best method to prevent a calamity is to smoke outdoors. When you do smoke indoors, have the proper ashtrays to stop a cigar or cigarette from rolling onto the floor. Yet, if someone in the residence is using oxygen, do not smoke indoors because oxygen is very combustible.
- Children: Kids are curious and fire is appealing for them, so educate your kids that fire is not something to play with. Additionally, keep matches and lighters in an area that’s out of sight and out of reach.
- Cooking: The kitchen is one of the more susceptible places for a fire to develop. It’s crucial to be aware of what’s in the oven or on the stove, and if you need to step out, have someone watch over it until you come back.
- Appliances and Electrical: Frayed cords and damaged plugs could easily start a home fire, so be sure to check your appliances routinely for any problems. In addition, check up on the switches for your lights because if they’re hot, they have to be replaced.
If You Need Fire Damage Restoration Services – Reach Out to Paul for Professional Assistance Today
When you have a home fire, don’t wait to call Paul Davis. Our expert team has the skills you need with fire damage restoration services and we‘ll have your residence back to a habitable condition. Get in touch with Paul at 888-473-7669 and a franchise near your area will be ready to help out.