The Significance of Preparing for House Fires - How to Plan & Prepare

When it comes to burdensome scenarios, there few events as draining than a fire that damages your home and personal possessions. As a fire damage repair company, Paul Davis knows what a serious threat home fires are. Out of nowhere, it just takes two minutes before a fire gets chaotic. A fire in your residence is a terrible and emotionally draining situation, even if it destroys everything or not. But you can execute individual things to ensure that you are all set for when a fire occurs.

Get Your Home Prepared for the Prospect of a Fire & Always Have an Emergency Plan

Not all home fires are avoidable and there's only so much you can do. That is why it's necessary to have safety procedures ready. Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers are a must, and make sure you have the proper amount to suit your home. But you should think about installing smoke alarms that can catch smoke from fires produced by electricity, since faulty wiring is one of the main causes of home fires. When you have children, you'll want to instruct them on how the smoke alarm sounds and what to do when in the incident where one goes off. Implement fire escape routes and make sure everybody is aware of them. Always have two exits out of every room in the home. You'll also need to have a planned meeting location outside of the home so that you know everybody makes it out safely. Something else you should do is protect your important items such as photographs, birth certificates and passports. You could create digital replicas and store them into a cloud drive as a backup, and you can purchase a strong box to keep the real copies safe too. Finally, take inventory of all your personal belongings for insurance reasons in the event they're engulfed by the flames.

To Decrease the Hazards of House Fires Practice These Precautions

Even though some fires are uncontrollable, here are some procedures you should execute to prevent a home fire:

  • Cooking: Always remain in the kitchen during the time food is in the oven or on the stove and never leave it unattended. When you have to step out of the kitchen, get somebody to watch over the food until you come back.
  • Appliances and Electrical: Examine your light switches to see if they have to be changed out. When you touch them and they're hot, that's a clue that they're faulty. Also, examine your appliances for frayed cords and damaged plugs.
  • Portable Heaters: It's essential to place any combustible objects at least three feet from a space heater. {Also,} you will need your space heater to have a control mechanism too and other features for safety such as turning off if the heater falls over.
  • Fireplaces: Creosote is highly combustible and it forms in your fireplace and chimney after it's been used, so make sure to get your fireplace cleaned regularly. Getting a large, durable screen is also crucial to prevent sparks from flying into the room and rolling logs.
  • Children: Kids are inquisitive and fire is exciting to them, so instruct your children that fire isn't something to play with. Additionally, keep lighters and matches in an area that's out of reach and out of sight.
  • Smoking: Outdoor smoking is the a great way to avert a home fire from taking place. It's very important to not smoke indoors if someone in the home is using oxygen since it is very combustible. When you smoke indoors, don't smoke in bed and while lethargic and have ashtrays with tall walls.

Call the Fire Damage Repair Technicians from Paul Davis

When you experience a home fire, don't wait to get in touch with Paul Davis. Our professional team has the experience you need with fire damage repair services and we'll have your property back to a habitable condition. Call us at 888-473-7669 and a franchise near you will be ready to help.