National Fire Prevention Week: Five Ways to Protect Your Home from Fire

Today is National Fire Prevention Day and as a homeowner, landlord or renter, now is the perfect time to make sure that you are doing everything you can to protect your home and your family from accidental fires.

Here are five things you can do to help prevent an accidental fire in your home:

Invest in smoke alarms

The United States Fire Administration recommends installing a smoke alarm on at least every floor of your home, but it is also a good idea to make sure all bedrooms in your home have their own alarm. In addition to making sure they’re installed, you should test your smoke alarms each month and replace their batteries at least once each year. If you don’t know how old your smoke alarms are, it may be time to invest in new ones.

Inspect your outlets

Check all of your home’s outlets to make sure they’re not overloaded. You should also make sure you’re not connecting extension cords to other cords that may not reach an outlet. Avoid placing cords near rugs, curtains or other flammable materials and do not hang cords above nails or anything else that may puncture the electrical wire. If you have any cords that are frayed or punctured, replace them.

Control the heat

However you heat your home, make sure your heating system is well-maintained. If you have a fireplace, have your chimney cleaned each year. When you are burning a fire, control the flames by keeping them contained inside your fireplace. Have your central heating and cooling systems inspected and serviced each year. If you use portable heaters to heat your home, keep them at least three feet away from anything that may spark a flame.

Make fire prevention work for you.

If you are a homeowner, consider a home fire sprinkler system. Not only will it keep you, your family or your tenants safe, it may add value to your home and simultaneously decrease your home insurance premiums. Safety and value are definite wins.

Have a plan

In the event of an accidental fire, have a plan that you and your family have practiced. Determine your escape route from any room in your home. Establish an area outside of your home for everyone in your family to meet after escaping. Once you establish a plan, make it a point to practice your plan at least twice a year.

For more ways you can protect your home from accidental fire:

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/