If you own a home in San Diego County there’s a very good chance that you spent a lot of money on it. Therefore, you probably do what you can to protect it from various catastrophes and ensure your investment doesn’t go down the drain. However, today’s focus is on home fires. Research shows that there are 358,500 houses experience such events annually.
So, do your part to ensure your place doesn’t become a statistic. But structural damage isn’t the only concern. It is also best for people to avoid these events to ensure they do not get injured or killed. As for the latter, house fires account for 2,620 civilian deaths each year.
Use these residential fire prevention tips to keep yourself, your family, and your home safe…
Put Your Fire Pit The Appropriate Distance From The House
Many homeowners have fire pits. They sit around them to relax and unwind, stay warm, and cook. If you’re considering adding such a feature, you’re sure to enjoy it. However, before building, installing, or setting up a portable unit, make sure you do so at a safe distance from your house. Guidelines on this matter vary.
Some say keep the items at least 10 feet away from structures. Meanwhile, others suggest the span should be as much as 20 to 25 feet. You will need to do research for your particular area to ensure your home doesn’t get thrust into harm’s way by putting the fire pit too close.
Clear Debris Away From The Home
If you use a fire pit, barbecue on a grill, or have other types of open flames outside, things can get out of control in a hurry if you aren’t careful. For example, if there is debris lying around in the yard, it could ignite and travel until it catches the house on fire. Then, the structure will sustain damage and need repairs, providing that it isn’t destroyed in its entirety. So, keep your yard and flowerbeds maintained to ensure there is no debris on the ground to fuel flames.
Test Your Smoke Detectors Frequently
Smoke detectors won’t necessarily prevent fires. However, they tell property owners when there’s a problem so that they can address it promptly themselves or by calling the fire department. Fast action can limit the damage peoples’ homes sustain. However, if your smoke detectors are faulty and fail, there won’t be a warning, and flames can wreak havoc on your structure in the blink of an eye.
So, test your smoke detectors to ensure they work correctly. According to research, this should happen at least once per month. If the unit is battery-operated, you’ll want to have an appropriate replacement battery on hand at the time. Then, you can simply swap the dead one out for the new one right then, and you won’t have to run to a store. Additionally, if a device is defective, it will need to be replaced.
Don’t fret if your home sustains fire or smoke damage. There are companies, like Dry Fix Restoration, Inc. that provide fire and smoke restoration services. Contact one as needed to get your house back in order.