Five Pro Tips for Avoiding House Fires

There are too many different ways for house fires to start than can be covered in a single post. There are also numerous means of preventing fires. To make things more simple, however, here are five tips for avoiding house fires according to our fire damage repair experts at ERX in Henderson.

Install (And Maintain) Smoke Alarms

No list of fire prevention tactics is complete without smoke alarms. Estimates from the NFPA show that if every home in America had working fire alarms that over 1,000 lives would be saved each year. Having and maintaining smoke alarms throughout the home is simply a must. As you make it a priority, you will feel more  safe and have a greater peace of mind.

Don’t Overload Circuits

Everyone knows the importance of preventing overloaded circuits. Despite that, overloaded circuits are still one of the most common causes of fires. A main reason for this is people often don’t realize they are overloading a circuit. They start with a couple things plugged in and gradually add to it without really thinking until disaster strikes. To prevent this, take the time to consciously examine all of your electrical circuits and make sure they aren’t close to being overloaded.

Keep Dryer Vents Clean

Dryer lint is incredibly flammable. In fact, it is so flammable that it is commonly used as kindling to start fires. Thus, a buildup of dryer lint in your dryer vent is a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, cleaning out your dryer vent only takes a couple seconds. The only thing preventing anyone from doing this is forgetfulness. Try to make a habit of cleaning out your dryer lint after each load of laundry and you will be able to avoid this fire hazard.

Have Fire Extinguishers at the Ready

A fire extinguisher can make the difference between a small fire scare and an inferno that takes down your entire home. You should have at least one fire extinguisher for each level of your home. However, it is better to keep even more than that. You should have fire extinguishers in the obvious places like your kitchen and basement. However, you are even better off keeping small fire extinguishers in your bedroom and living room.

Be Extra Cautious Around Candles, Christmas Lights, and Space Heaters

Candles, Christmas lights, and space heaters are three household objects very notorious for starting fires. Each of them have a very useful purpose, but when you consider using them, you should also think about the risks. If you do use them, are you willing to put in the extra time and effort to ensure that they don’t cause any problems? If not, then it is probably best not to use them.

We hope you find these tips helpful enough that you never have to deal with a house fire. Nonetheless, if you ever do, don’t hesitate to contact our fire damage repair experts at ERX in Henderson for help.