- 1,240,000 fires
- 3,240 deaths
- 15,925 injuries
- 5 billion dollars in damage and loss
These are just a few of the statistics provided by the United States Fire Administration from a couple years ago. Fires are deadly and are a far too common problem throughout the country. Many of these fires could have been thwarted if simple, preventative measures had been taken. Here are a few simple things you can do fireproof your home.
Install and check fire alarms-
This is a no brainer. If you don’t have fire alarms installed or aren’t sure that they are still working, take action right away and go buys some alarms or test the ones you do have. This is your first warning in the case a fire does occur, and when it comes down to it, could be a deciding factor between making it out or not.
Don’t overload your wiring-
This is one of the biggest reasons for fires occurring in homes, Never overload your wiring by plugging and an excessive amount of things into one outlet that uses an excessive amount of power. Also, if you are going to install a device that uses an abnormally large amount of power, have a licensed electrical inspect the wiring and outlet to ensure there are chances of sparking or the circuit being overloaded.
Clean up clutter-
Junk in of itself isn’t going to start any fires, but in the case, a fire does occur it could make a lot more difficult for you to get out and provide even more fuel to the fire. When certain items have been kept in an attic or closet for a long time they are likely to be dried out and just a single spark could cause them to ignite in flames.
Fireproof your furniture-
When you buy new furniture, you can ask the store to coat it with a fireproof chemical. This will, of course, add to the cost a little, but it is well worth the investment. For furniture you already have you can buy fireproofing sprays for relatively cheap that are very simple to apply.
Take care with your candles-
Candles are a great, intimate addition to any room. They also include a potentially dangerous element as well. If you choose to use candles with open flames just do your best to watch them closely, but know it doesn’t take much for a gust of wind to come or for a pet or child to knock it over a start a fire. There are many alternatives to candles available you may want to consider. You’ll get the same inviting scent but without the open flame and risk of fire.
Doing all these things and really just using common sense will greatly decrease the risk of your home being involved in a fire. Some accidents, however, are simply unpreventable. If your home does suffer from fire damage, WET 24/7 Emergency Restoration Service in Cleveland, Ohio is here to help. With years of experience and qualified professional cleaners, we are here to respond right away to help you restore your home back to normal.
