Owning a home or residing in an apartment requires significant attention paid to the safety and security of the home, and one of the most powerful aspects to consider is fire safety and awareness. A recent study by the National Fire Protection Association suggests that 7 people lose their life each day in the United States due to fires in the home, and this unfortunate statistic illustrates how critical it is to make sure that a home’s fire safety devices are intelligently designed.
Amazingly, the study also revealed that homes sustain over $7 billion in damages each year with thousands of deaths blamed on common issues such as kitchen fires and faulty equipment in the home and a lack of proper smoke detectors and home fire alarm systems. Activities like smoking in the home also increase the likelihood of a home fire, and awareness during such actions is necessary to ensure family safety.
Shockingly, only 6% of the homes that sustained fire damage in the National Fire Protection Association’s study were equipped with fire sprinklers, and a number of deaths from fire happened in homes where smoke detectors weren’t working. Properly maintaining security equipment plays a huge role in preventing future fires.
Some of the most significant ways that a family can keep their home safe from the threat of fire include the following:
1. Create an emergency plan
Each home is different, but every family requires a solid escape plan just in case a fire does indeed occur. A plan needs to be created and practiced a few times, especially if there are kids in the house who need to know what’s going on during a fire.
2. Consider sprinkler installation
Most homes do not have sprinklers installed, but modern sprinkler systems may actually save a house and help to stop a fire in its tracks before it can become a danger to the home. Today’s best home security systems include sprinkler installation.
3. Smoke on the porch
For anyone who smokes on a regular basis, it’s best to engage in that activity outside the home, and to resist sitting in front of the television with an ash tray since falling asleep with a live cigarette could lead to fire.
4. Monitor kitchen appliances
A residence may house several old appliances that might not always work in a completely efficient manner, and with some devices the risk of fire from sparks and malfunction increases over time. Older devices should be serviced or replaced when they pose too great a fire risk.
5. Yearly inspections of equipment and devices
Each year, a home needs to be inspected for the safety of its smoke detectors and the condition of various appliances in the home that could lead to fires if not properly maintained. Security equipment needs a yearly checkup to maintain full safety levels.
A well-rounded fire security plan from GuardMe Security will enhance the level of safety enjoyed by a family in their home, and it’s important to revisit such security designs on a regular basis. GuardMe provides advanced options for installation and continued monitoring of a home’s condition, which might mean the difference between catching a fire before it’s too late and seeing an entire home be consumed by fire.