Prevent Fires By Learning About Common Fire Risks
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the five top fire causes include cooking, heating, electrical, smoking and candles. From 2015 to 2019, cooking was the top cause of house fires. The best way to avoid cooking-related fires is to never leave food unattended while it’s on the stove or in the oven. Also, anything flammable, including oven mitts, wooden utensils and kitchen towels, should always be kept away from the stovetop.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost half of all home fires occur between December and February. During these colder months, homeowners tend to use space heaters and portable fireplaces. It’s important to remember to keep anything flammable at least three feet from these appliances to avoid accidents. Both space heaters and portable fireplaces should be turned off anytime you leave the room or go to sleep.
To avoid electrical fires, always leave electrical work to a qualified electrician. Also, ensure that all home appliances (stoves, refrigerators, microwaves, etc.) are plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet, instead of an extension cord of plug strip.
To mitigate smoking-related deaths, the leading cause of fire deaths according to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke outdoors only. Also, when putting out cigarettes, always use an ashtray instead of putting them out in dried grass, leaves, potted plants or anywhere else.
To avoid candle-related incidents, always blow candles out before leaving the room or going to sleep. Always keep candles at least a foot from anything flammable and ensure you’re using candle holders that won’t tip over.
House Fire Prevention
In addition to avoiding common house fire risks, one important precaution you can take to prevent a house fire is to ensure you have smoke alarms on every level of your home. Also, every bedroom or sleeping area should have its own smoke alarm. To ensure they’re working effectively, you should replace the batteries of smoke alarms annually. Having working smoke alarms is one of the most effective ways to prevent fires.
What to Do If a Fire Starts
In case of a fire, learn how to safely operate a fire extinguisher. These essential tools should only be used on small fires. Use the acronym “PASS” to help you remember safe fire extinguisher use: Pull the pin located in the handle of the extinguisher. Aim nozzle at the base of the active fire. Squeeze extinguisher lever slowly. Sweep the extinguisher from side to side.
Be sure to educate yourself on different types of extinguishers and the classes of fire that they’re used for. Some extinguishers are meant for combustible items like paper and wood while others are intended for flammables like grease and gasoline. If you’re looking for a kitchen fire extinguisher, you’ll want to use one labeled as B (for use with liquids including grease, gasoline and oil) or C (for use with appliances). There are also multipurpose fire extinguishers that can handle a variety of fire types. Read more about fire extinguishers and their uses in our buying guide.
Another helpful fire safety tool you may want to have on hand is a fire blanket. Keep the blanket in a cabinet or pantry in your kitchen for easy access. If a fire starts, you can drape the blanket over cabinets, a table or anything near the fire to keep it from spreading.
Make Fire Home Safety a Priority
If you cannot safely put out the fire with an extinguisher, the American Red Cross recommends to “Get out, stay out and call 9-1-1.” To safely exit your home, ensure you have a home fire escape plan. This should include a map of your home, showing all windows and doors, as well as a designated family meeting place outside of the home. Check out our tips for creating a fire escape plan to get help creating yours.
If you live in a multi-story home or building, you should invest in a fire escape ladder. This will be extremely useful in ensuring a safe exit if smoke or fire are blocking exits inside your home.
How to Clean Up Your Home After a Fire
Living through a house fire is an extremely difficult experience and it’s understandable to want to assess the damage as soon as possible. But it’s important to not re-enter a damaged home unless local fire authorities acknowledge that it’s safe to do so. Once you get clearance to re-enter, depending on the severity of the fire, there are several steps you can take to clean up.
Before tackling cleanup on your own, call your home insurance company and plan to meet your insurance adjuster at your home to assess the damage. The adjuster can provide professional contacts to help with the cleanup of the fire. If damage is severe, you should leave all recovery efforts to professionals who have the tools and knowledge to cleanup heavily damaged spaces.
If damage is less severe, here are a few actions you can take on your own:
- Encourage air circulation and ventilation by opening all windows to the home.
- Remove soot and smoke from walls and other surfaces with a mixture of a gallon of water with liquid detergent, a few teaspoons of tri-sodium phosphate and a cup of bleach. Rinse each surface with clear water and then allow it to dry.
- Pull up wet flooring, rugs, carpet and carpet pads. If carpet is dry but covered in soot, consider calling a professional carpet cleaner to effectively remove the smoke odor.
- Inspect all fabric furniture and drapes for water damage. Strip from furniture base to avoid mold growth.
- Do not use any electrical appliances, such as televisions, until they’ve been inspected for water or heat damage.