Fires at home can lead to severe property damage and losses. To protect yourself, your home, and your loved ones, practicing some crucial fire safety precautions at home is essential. Here we offer several tips on how to protect your home from fire.

Fire Safety in the Kitchen

Keep anything inflammable away from the heating elements in the kitchen. While the food is cooking, do not leave your microwave, stove, or oven unattended. Do not let your children into the kitchen when you are cooking, but if you do, make sure they keep a safe distance from the stove. Always double-check if you turned off the cooking equipment before leaving the kitchen.

Alarms

Smoke alarms are crucial when it comes to fire safety in your home. Each level of your home should have smoke alarms installed, and you should check them every month to make sure they function properly. Do not forget to replace the batteries as necessary and renew your alarms every 10 years or as indicated.

Chimneys

Fire accidents in the house often happen because of the old chimneys. Have your chimneys inspected every year to have the necessary repairs done in a timely manner. Making sure your chimney is functioning correctly will help you prevent fires in your home.

Heaters

Have your central heating system inspected on an annual basis. If you are using a portable electric heater, it poses a potential fire threat in your home. When using one, make sure to maintain at least 3 ft. of empty space around the unit and keep it away from curtains, furniture, or bedspreads.

Electric Appliances

To prevent fire accidents, make sure all of your outlets are covered with protectors. If you see any frayed wires, have them replaced as soon as possible. If your plugs look worn, have those replaced as well. Electrical malfunctioning or failure is one of the leading causes behind fire accidents at home, so make sure to check all electrical cords, plugs, and fuses regularly.

Candles

Candles are very romantic, but like any open fire, they are not to be taken lightly. Using battery-operated candles is one way for you to avoid fire accidents, but if you want to use the old-fashioned ones, make sure to never leave them unattended and do not forget to put them out after use.