According to statistics, every year fires cause thousands of deaths and injuries and account for billions of dollars in property loss. If your house was engulfed in flames recently, it will be important for you to get in touch with a firm that provides fire damage restoration in West Chester, PA so that further damage to your property and belongings can be prevented.
With this in mind, we will be looking at some of the things you can do to prevent fires from starting in your home in the first place.
How to prevent home fires?
Research shows that the majority of home fires started during the day happen in the kitchen, while fires started at night are usually due to sparks originating from fireplaces and discarded cigarettes and from heating appliances that were left too close to combustible materials or furniture.
Let’s look at some of the steps you can take to prevent fires.
Cooking
- Wear tightly rolled or close fitting sleeves while cooking.
- Remain in the kitchen while grilling, frying, or broiling anything.
- Keep kids away from the hot stove.
- Keep barbecue grills about ten feet away from deck railings and sidings.
Smoking
- If you smoke, do so outside and throw cigarette butts into a sand-filled can.
- Sofas and chairs tend to catch fire and burn very fast, so avoid putting ashtrays near or over them.
Electrical Appliances
- Frayed wires can result in fires. Replace old, worn, and damaged appliance cords as early as possible.
- Avoid overloading wall sockets and extension cords.
- If light switches are heating up or lights are flickering, seek immediate professional assistance to fix these problems.
Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
- Chimneys and woodstove pipes need to be cleaned and inspected on an annual basis and checked monthly to make sure that there are no obstructions or damages.
- Use a heavy fireplace screen to block rolling logs. Additionally, the screen should be big enough to cover the entire opening and shield it from flying sparks.
- Put cooled ash inside a metal container and keep it outside your house.
- Avoid burning paper, trash, or green wood. In addition, ensure that the fire is totally put out before you leave the house or go to bed.
Space Heaters
- Make sure that anything combustible is kept about three feet away from your portable heating appliance.
- Ensure that your portable heater is equipped with thermostat control and will automatically turn off if the heater somehow falls over.
- If using a kerosene heater, you should only use K-1 kerosene and only use it in a room that is properly ventilated. Also, you should avoid overfilling it.
If, despite taking all of these precautions, a fire occurs in your home and you’re looking for a professional firm to take up the task of fire damage restoration in West Chester, PA, we at ServiceMaster Professional Cleaning and Restoration can help.
We have the necessary experience, training, and equipment to provide restoration services after a fire of any magnitude and get things back to normal as early as possible.