Safety Tips For Your Home

By Author: Ron Grosso
Total Articles: 3698
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No matter where you live there is always the danger of a fire. In case of a fire it is important to have certain safety measures installed on your home. Consider the following tips to make sure you have your home prepared in the event of a fire or other emergency.
First if you live in a location prone to wildfires the best thing you can do is update your roof if you have the money. Your roof should be made of slate, tile or asphalt shingles which are fireproof.
Second you need to keep brush away from your home. Keep trees trimmed so they are not close to touching your home. Any dry brush should be kept cut down and away from the home.
Third, it can be a good idea to have the fire department come out and check your house. Many fire department give courtesy calls to homes in order to do inspections that help point out areas that you can improve your fire safety. So on occasion it can be good to have a home or fire inspector over for a check up on your property.
Fourth, you should not live without fire and homeowners insurance. If you already have insurance then you need to make sure your policies are ...
... updated and reflect all changes in your home replacement costs and review any alterations in premiums or coverage.
Fifth, you should always have a fire extinguisher in your home. At least one should be within easy access, but more is always better. Remember fire extinguishers do have expiration dates. Some are only good for five to fifteen years. Make sure you keep an eye on the pressure gauge and recharge, service or replace the extinguisher as needed. You can choose to go with a disposable fire extinguisher or a rechargeable one depending on your needs. The First Alert Tundra, available at Resculite, an online fire and safety store, is a quick, easy to use, spray extinguisher.
Sixth, make sure the smoke detectors in your home are checked on a regular basis. A good idea is to change the batteries in your smoke alarms when you change your clocks for daylight savings. After ten years it is a good idea to change all the smoke detectors in your home. Resculite, Inc has a large variety of smoke detectors online.
Seventh, something many forget with children in the house is to keep matches and candles away from them. No matter how old you think your kids are you should be very careful what you allow them to get into. No matter how small, an open flame always presents a danger to peoples lives and the home.
Eight, if you have space heaters use them carefully. Do not place any clothing or flammable materials on the space heater. They should be kept at least three feet from any flammable materials and turned off when you are not home.
Nine, you should try to avoid overloading the electrical systems in your house. If you have a blown fuse or a circuit breaker that trips frequently then you need to have it checked out by a qualified electrician. Install new outlets or different branch circuits if you use a space bar to plug in a lot of electronics. Power strips with their own circuit breaker are better than extension cords when plugging in multiple appliances or electronics. Never have an electrical cord running under carpet.
Ten, finally you should have a fire escape plan in place. And make sure your home is properly prepared for an emergency. If you have bars on your windows or other such security measures then you should make sure they have a fast security release from the inside in the event of an emergency. And for a multi-story house or apartment you always want to have a fire escape ladder handy. Resculite, Inc has a nice variety of these online.