18 Easy Things You Can Do To Prevent a House Fire

We recently had Fire Prevention Month, and we cannot stress enough how important fire safety is. In 2014, the United States responded to 1.2 million fires, causing over $11 billion in damages and over 3,000 deaths.

With these statistics, the most shocking is that most of these fire could have been prevented if the proper precautions were taken. Here are 18 tips for your smoke alarm, fireplace, furnace and space heater that will help prevent a fire from happening to your family.

1. Position your smoke alarm from air vents and fans.
2. Don't let creosote build up in your chimney as it could set off a roof fire.
3. Seal all unused flue openings with solid masonry.
4. Remember to test your smoke alarm at least once per month.
5. Keep you alarm clean and dust free.
6. Now is the time to change your smoke alarm batteries!
7. You should also change the batteries in your carbon monoxide detector.
8. Inspect your chimney regularly for cracks and obstructions.
9. Don't "overbuild" your fire using too much paper, you could ignite the soot in your chimney.
10. Never burn charcoal in your fireplace. It gives off a deadly carbon monoxide.
11. Keep your damper open if there are hot ashes in your fireplace. Closing the damper could enable hot ashes to heat up and cause a damaging fire.
12.Before you turn on your furnace, have it inspected by a qualified professional.
13. Make sure to check the condition of the automatic emergency shutoffs.
14. Keep all trash and combustibles away from the furnace.
15. Inspect your furnace for damage.
16. Make sure you space heater has a working safety light, alarm, automatic shutoff switch, and a cut-off device to prevent overheating.
17. Keep all objects, people and pets at least three feet away from the heater.
18. Never use a space heater in your bathroom. Water and electric appliances don't mix!

Remember that your safety is our #1 priority, let us know how we can help to ensure your home is safe for the winter!

Posted 5:38 PM

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