Anyone will feel devastated by the loss of a home to fire. And unfortunately, people experience this tragedy all the time. According to the National Fire Protection Association, American fire departments responded to roughly 346,800 housefires per year between 2015 and 2019. Of course, we don’t want your home to become part of these statistics, so we’ve compiled a few fire safety tips.
Maintain your home.
One of the best fire safety tips you can follow is simply fixing things around your house, especially appliances and machines that plug into the wall. For example, replace cracked and damaged cords as soon as possible and ensure all outlets have cover plates.
Be careful with heat sources.
Take extra care with anything that produces heat. Space heaters, in particular, are a fire risk. So, only use them on flat, nonflammable surfaces, such as ceramic tile, and turn them off when you leave a room or sleep.
Also, take care around candles, fireplaces, and stovetops. Don’t place any flammable items near them, and never leave them unattended while in use. And don’t leave your home, either, while using your oven.
Finally, maintain your furnace and chimney. Have professionals check them at least annually and service them as needed.
Smoke outside.
Never smoke inside your home—especially in bed. Also, store matches and lighters away from children.
Check your smoke alarm.
Place smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside every bedroom. Test them monthly and replace the batteries once per year.
Check your house number.
Is your house number easy to see from the road? Unfortunately, not all fires are immediately noticeable from the outside, so do everything you can to ensure firefighters can find your home quickly.
Make sure you can rebuild.
Accidents can still happen, even if you follow all fire safety tips. Fortunately, most home insurance policies cover housefires, but that doesn’t mean your limits are high enough to completely rebuild.
Call an MTG agent today to review your policy and ensure your house is covered.