Interior Fire Prevention: What You Need to Know

Our homes are in many ways an extended member of our family. It is the center for life, the gathering spot for occasions and literally the structure that houses our lives and memories. Good, bad and otherwise, our homes are where most of life happens and as a member of our family it is also crucial that we take the steps to care for and protect all of the members of the family including the homes themselves.

Fire is a devastating hazard that can happen to anyone, anywhere. While there is no foolproof way to eliminate the threat, there are a vast number of actions that you can take to potentially mitigate the dangers of a house fire. A few tried and true measures can make the difference between being prepared and proactive and being unprepared and reactive. Here is a list of some of the Top Fire Safety Recommendations Interior for homeowners:

• Keep regular maintenance up on your stove and oven. Regardless of constant or infrequent use, this appliance must be kept up to standard. Especially if not used frequently, a stove and oven can have issues that need attention and may easily go unnoticed until there's a problem. Regular cleaning and maintenance of food particles that have collected at the bottom of the oven near the burner can be a prime action to avoid an oven fire.
• Portable heaters are the second leading cause of house fires. Never under any circumstances should a portable heater be left unattended or put into use in a very small, very restrictive position. Positioning away from flammable objects is crucial as well as checking for secure, well-conditioned wiring. Monitor your equipment to ensure that there are no frayed or exposed wires.
• Constant and continual testing and maintenance of in-home smoke detectors is top of the list for prevention. Smoke detectors will be your first line of defense and will be your earliest warning signal of the start of a fire. An action as simple as replacing the batteries or ensuring that batteries are never removed is absolutely necessary. With a battery operated detector, a routine test every six months is a great course of action. Pressing the test button will give you all the indication you need. A weak beep or signal will indicate that you need to replace the batteries immediately.
• Invest in current, well working fire extinguishers placed in a few strategic spots in your home especially in high-risk areas of your home like the kitchen, near the garage and near a fireplace or heating element.

All tips will always involve being proactive, aware and decisive. Some tasks can be put off but eventually the problem grows and becomes monumental. Continual preventive maintenance must be practiced all year round and will likely make the difference between a disaster happening or not.