Positive Thinking Wont Prevent Fires

9/13/2021 (Permalink)

How To Prevent Fires In Your Home

It’s Positive Thinking Day! And while we love having a positive outlook on life, positive thinking won’t always keep disasters from happening. Fires will strike no matter how positive your thinking is, which is why we want to share some fire prevention tips. 

Avoiding fires is possible, just put your positive thinking towards fire prevention. 

Prevent Fires

1. Inspect Heating Equipment

Heating sources can easily trigger a fire in your home or business. Ensuring all heating sources are working properly can save lives. Check for frayed wires, missing parts, and have a professional inspect your HVAC system yearly. 

If your system has air filters, be sure they are changed regularly and keep the area around any heaters clean and free of flammable items. 

1. Stay In The Kitchen

A fire can start within seconds, and leaving the kitchen with burners still on is a disaster waiting to happen. If you must leave the kitchen, turn off the burner or have someone else monitor the food while you aren’t present. 

1. Check The Dryer

Maintaining the dryer is an essential part of fire prevention. Dryer lint can build up quickly, and an excess of dryer lint is the perfect fire starter. Make sure dryer lint is cleaned from the lint trap after each use. Have your dryer inspected once a year and have the dryer vent cleaned. Even with a lint trap, excess dryer lint can get caught in the vent, increasing the risk of fire, and making it more difficult for your dryer to work properly. 

1. Properly Store Flammable Products

There are likely many items in your home that are highly flammable. Thinks like shaving cream, aerosols, as well as many cleaning products should be kept in a safe location to prevent further fuel to a fire. These items should be stored in a cool place, away from heat sources. 

1. Maintain Cords

In a world of technology, you likely have many wires in your home. Be sure to check all of the wires in your home and ensure there are no frayed or chewed wires. 

If any wires are running below rugs or behind furniture, try to reroute them as cords can get hot and cause fires. 

1. Opt For Candle Alternatives

While candles can provide beautiful scents and ambiance, sometimes it is better to choose a candle alternative. Our list of candle alternatives is a great way to bring the elements of candles into your home without the danger of fire. 

1. Use Your Fireplace With Caution

A warm fire is one of our favorite fall activities, but the joy that fire may bring is nothing compared to the damage a stray spark could cause. When you light a fire in your fireplace, be sure to never leave the fire unattended, keep all flammable items away from the fireplace, and always dispose of ashes once they have cooled completely. 

Stop Fires

1. Install Smoke Detectors

Having smoke detectors installed in the proper places is essential to keeping you and your family safe. Be sure to make sure all smoke detectors are working properly and have fresh batteries.

1. Use Fire Extinguishers

Having a fire extinguisher in your home can make a significant difference in the size of the blaze. By using a fire extinguisher properly when the fire is still small, a total loss can be prevented. So make sure you and your family know how to properly extinguish a fire with a fire extinguisher. 

Fires can be devastating, but proper prevention and fire management can greatly minimize the effects of a fire. Make sure to check out our other blogs to learn more about fire safety. If you experience a fire in your Charlotte, NC, home or business be sure to call SERVPRO of South Mecklenburg County at (704) 840-6112 so we can make it "Like it never even happened."

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