In the Scenario of a Fire – Plan Ahead and Prepare

The fire damage restoration professionals at Paul Davis understand how detrimental house fires can be. Not only can house fires eradicate your property and personal belongings, but they are emotionally jarring and make you feel unsafe. Fires can occur without a moment’s notice and can be caused by a number of variables, so a lot of the time they’re out of your control like natural disasters or your neighbor’s house being on fire. But there are some precautions you can implement to minimize the risk of a house fire in your home.

At All Times – Have an Emergency Strategy in Position

All house fires aren’t avoidable and there’s only so much you can do. That is why it’s essential to have safety procedures ready. Fire extinguishers and smoke alarms are fundamental, and always check that you have the right number to suit your property. But you should consider installing smoke alarms that can identify smoke from fires caused by electricity, because faulty wiring is one of the main causes of house fires. When you have kids, you’ll want to train them on what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do when in the incident where one goes off.

Some other precautions include outlining emergency routes in your home. Create a plan and make sure everybody in the house understands the emergency fire escape routes – there should be two exits for every room in the house. Also, it’s fundamental to have a designated meeting place outside so you know who gets out of the house.

Taking inventory of your personal property is an excellent idea for insurance reasons just in case all your stuff is damaged by the flames. Additionally, you’ll want to preserve valuable items like passports and birth certificates in a fire safe box, and you can make digital copies and upload them to a cloud drive for added measure.

Things to Keep in Mind to Decrease House Fire Dangers

While some fires aren’t preventable, there are some things you can do to decrease the probability of a fire from happening in your home:

  • Fireplaces: It’s vital to routinely clean and inspect your fireplace for creosote and other damage. Get a screen for your fireplace that is durable and large enough to catch sparks and stop rolling logs.
  • Portable Heaters: Not under any condition should you leave a space heater unattended, and keep flammable or combustible objects three feet away from the heater. It’s also crucial for your portable heater to contain the right safety features. For instance, the heater turns off when it tips over.
  • Smoking: Cigars and cigarettes are extreme perils for fire, and taking your smoking outside is the finest approach to avoid a house fire. When you smoke inside, see that you have ashtrays with deep walls and that you never smoke in bed or while you’re drowsy. Also, not under any circumstance should you smoke inside when someone in the house is using oxygen since this is very combustible.
  • Children: Kids are curious and fire is exciting to them, so educate your kids that fire isn’t something to play with. In addition, store your matches and lighters in a place that is out of reach and out of sight.
  • Cooking: It’s essential to be conscientious in the kitchen and to not leave cooking food unattended. Without exception have somebody there to monitor everything going on.
  • Appliances and Electrical: Test your light switches to see if they have to be changed out. When they’re hot to the touch, that’s a sign that they’re faulty. Another thing you should do is check your appliances for torn cords and broken plugs.

Contact the Fire Damage Restoration Experts at Paul Davis

When you experience a house fire, don’t wait to contact Paul Davis. Our expert team has the skills you need with fire damage restoration services and we can have your property back to a good condition. Call Paul Davis at 888-473-7669 and a franchise near your location will be prepared to help.