by Erika Mehlhaff
Home fire safety is a frequently neglected aspect of home ownership, but it shouldn’t be. Home fires are often preventable. You can protect your home. Here are ten important home fire safety tips to help you:
- Install smoke alarms and store a fire extinguisher on every level of your home. Test the alarms monthly to make sure they work, and change the batteries at least every six months. Make sure the extinguishers have the appropriate rating to make them usable for all types of fires.
- Create and practice multiple escape plans for fire events. Your plans should include escape routes from different areas of the house with a designated meeting place. You should also make sure everyone is familiarized with the tools on hand for exiting the building (e.g., escape ladders, window glass breakers).
- Keep combustible materials such as rags, towels, and packaging materials away from the stove and microwave in your kitchen.
- Keep grills and any other cooking appliances at least three feet away from your house, as well as vegetation that could catch fire easily.
- Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that is flammable, and always turn off heaters when leaving a room or going to bed.
- Have your chimneys, fireplaces, wood stoves, and central furnace serviced and cleaned at least once a year.
- Store gasoline in a garage or shed in a container approved for gasoline storage. Close the lid on all flammable products and put them away after using them.
- Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) in all electrical receptacles (i.e., outlets) in and outside the house, especially in wet areas, to avoid electrical fires.
- If you or anyone in your household is a smoker, make sure to never smoke in bed.
- If you burn candles, always use sturdy, balanced holders on even surfaces; keep them away from bedding, upholstery, and window coverings; extinguish them before going to sleep; and never leave burning candles unattended.
RELATED: Common Causes of House Fires
Another thing to consider is having a home fire inspection. Most fire-related deaths happen in homes. Home fire inspections provide an opportunity to check for possible fire safety issues in and around houses and address problems on the spot, as well as provide safety improvement measures for the future.
WEICHERT, REALTORS® – The Place of Houses is a team of real estate professionals based in Corpus Christi, Texas. Whether you are buying or selling a home in the Gulf Coast region of Texas, WEICHERT, REALTORS® – The Place of Houses is ready to assist you with your real estate needs. Please reach out to a member of the licensed team of realtors if you are interested in real estate in Corpus Christi or anywhere in the Gulf Coast region of Texas; contact WEICHERT, REALTORS® – The Place of Houses online at any time or by calling 361-882-5588.
| RESOURCES
State of Texas Fire Code https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.419.htm#419 The Texas Commission on Fire Protection National Fire Protection Association |
