Fire safety at home is very serious, especially for older adults & those with physical limitations
What is the Risk of a Home Fire?
Fire is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to a person in their home. It is important for everyone to know how to stay safe in the event of a fire. September was National Preparedness Month and, in addition to other information we provided to our community, we wanted to address home fire safety.
Below are some tips on how to stay safe in the event of a home fire.
- Get out! – If you see smoke or smell it, get out and call 911.
- Keep your family together – Make sure that everyone knows what their meeting spot is outside and away from the house.
- Stay low and crawl under smoke if necessary – Smoke rises so it will be easier to breathe if you crawl under it.
- Cover your nose and mouth – Use something like a shirt or towel while you crawl under smoke, so you don’t inhale too much of it.
- If there’s an escape ladder, use it!
Fire safety: What are the most common causes of home fires?
Fires account for a large number of home-related injuries and deaths.
Fires are a serious threat to the safety of everyone in the home. According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are 5 main causes of home fires:
- Cooking
- Heating
- Electrical distribution and lighting equipment
- Intentional fire setting
- Smoking materials
Electrical fires are usually caused by faulty wiring, overloaded power outlets, or old appliances that have not been serviced. Cooking fires typically happen when food is left unattended on the stove or in the oven.
Fire safety: How to prevent a home fire
It is important to know the best ways to prevent house fires and what steps you can take to make your home safer. There are many ways that people can do this, including installing smoke alarms, building fire-resistant homes, and performing routine maintenance on their heating systems.
The best way to prevent house fires is by taking precautions and being proactive about it.
Smoke alarms
One way to prevent a house fire is by installing smoke alarms in your home. Smoke alarms will detect smoke caused by a fire and alert you before the fire spreads, giving you time to escape safely.
The best way to do this is to make sure smoke alarms are hardwired (connected together), so if one goes off all of them will go off.
Main floor living
When it comes to fire safety, living on the main floor of your home is safer than in the basement or second floor. It reduces the amount of time to get out of the home if a fire occurs.
Residential fire sprinkler system
The purpose of a fire sprinkler system is, first, to save you … giving you valuable time to get out of the home in a fire. Secondary to that is preserving your home. In reality, a sprinkler system will not always save most of the home, but it can buy you time to get out.
On average, these systems will cost around $6-$8 per square foot of your home.
Basement egress windows
Building codes in Ohio state that a basement bedroom needs an egress window and/or door. This essentially means another way to escape a fire. Without the window or door, you would have to go upstairs to exit the home.
In the case of a home fire, the extra door and/or window in a basement bedroom gives you the best option of escaping.
Fire extinguishers
Fire extinguishers should be located in the kitchen, the basement & in the garage. These are the places that most fires happen in a home.
Without these fire extinguishers, you risk having a fire you cannot put out, while endangering your home and family,
The importance of home fire safety and protecting your family
Home fire safety is a very important topic. The dangers of home fires are very real and the consequences can be devastating. It is important to know how to protect yourself and your loved ones from these dangers, so you can be prepared in the event that a fire does happen.
Fires are one of the most common disasters that happen in homes. These fires can be caused by something small such as a candle or a cigarette. They also can be caused by faulty wiring, space heaters, or unattended cooking.
It is important to take precautions against these hazards so you can prevent them from happening in your own home.
If you’d like to create a safer and easier life for yourself at home, contact DeVol Design Build Remodel. We can help you create the home you need, while ensuring that the safety of you and your family is a priority.