15 Tips for Preventing Fires in Your Home
There are many precautions you can take to prevent fires in your home. Fire prevention is not something that requires deep pockets or a lot of time. Consider the common-sense precautions listed below:
- Frequently inspect and clean chimney flues, particularly when burning oil, coal or wood.
- Use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks from hitting the floor and rugs.
- Do not install a bulb with a higher wattage than the maximum indicated on the fixture.
- Install ground-fault circuit interrupters.
- Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors outside bedrooms and on each floor of your home. Check batteries every spring and fall.
- Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen.
- Ensure your garage is separated from the living quarters by a fire-resistant, self-closing door.
- Ensure your garage has properly wired light fixtures that are controlled by a switch rather than makeshift installations that use an extension cord.
- Do not store gasoline, solvents, waste or other flammable materials near your furnace or in your garage. Store them in an outbuilding away from your home.
- Ensure your fuses and circuit breakers work properly. Inspect aluminum wiring periodically. Consider hiring an electrician to review your wiring.
- If your home has an oil tank, have it periodically inspected to ensure it is airtight so fuel oil does not overflow or leak.
- Remove excess lint from the lint trap of your clothes dryer and keep the exhaust vent clean.
- Have enough electrical outlets to avoid the excessive use of extension cords. If an extension cord is needed, don’t run it under a rug.
- When cooking: Keep pot handles turned inward over the stove. Remove greasy build-up from the range hood and the filters. Keep curtains pulled away from any heating elements on the stove.
- Do not leave lighted candles unattended or burning overnight. Do not leave a clothing iron or hair straightening iron unattended.
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