Everyone should know how to prevent fires from happening in their home and there are a number of ways that you can increase fire safety. Make sure all members of your home know these guidelines and follow them.
A common item that you can use in the kitchen to put out small fires on the stove is baking soda. Salt can also be used, but baking soda does a little bit better of a job. It might take two or three handfuls of both to put out a small fire, but this is significantly less messy than using a fire extinguisher to do this. Try to use a fire extinguishing method that is proportional to the size of the fire to avoid having a large mess.
Keep at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher in your home at all times, especially in the kitchen. If your home has more than one floor, you will want to have one on each floor, just in case.
If your oven cleans itself and locks the door, do NOT try to force the door open. It is extremely hot inside your oven, hotter than it allows you to cook things in it, and this level of heat is very dangerous. When the oven is cleaning itself, leave it alone.
All items that are labeled as being extremely flammable need to be stored outside in a separate building, if possible. If you do not have a separate building in your yard, you need to at least create an area to put them in that is not near your house.
Do not clean anything in your home with gas or turpentine. The fumes from these chemicals will settle to the floor and a spark from any electronic device could set them off. Clean items in this way outside and away from your house.
Keep combustible materials away from your furnace and other appliances that get hot. This includes space heaters that you use in the winter to keep your house warm. If you can help it, do not place these on carpeted surfaces and never use them to dry socks or gloves wet from snow or water.
Your smoke detector’s batteries need to be checked and changed regularly to make sure they will work when you need them to.
If you have a chimney, it needs to be cleaned and inspected at least once a year.
Showing posts with label house fire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house fire. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Here’s How To Prevent House Fires
There are a large number of house fires every year in this country and around the world, but the damage that they do to homes and families can largely be avoided if you follow a few simple guidelines. These will greatly reduce the amount of risk that your home will catch on fire as long as you are consistent with enforcing them.
The first thing that you need to do is know that most fires start in the kitchen. The largest reason for this is that many people leave things cooking on the stove so they can go to another room of the house and take care of another chore, watch tv, or even leave the house to run an errand. You should never, ever leave your home while something is on the stove unless someone is still there to watch it for you while you are gone. Even clothes dryers need to be turned off if you are planning on leaving the house.
Rags and paper towels soaked with gasoline should never be tossed in the garbage with other combustible items. These items should be laid out flat outside somewhere so the gas will evaporate. Do this somewhere away from heat.
If you clean anything with turpentine or gas, please do it outside. The fumes from both of these items are heavier than air and will sink to the floor. Sparks from electronic items or wall outlets will ignite the fumes, possibly resulting in an explosion.
Space heaters should never be used near combustible items and if you have to use a heater on a carpeted surface, the heat should be emitted from a portion of the heater that is up and away from the floor. Space heaters with short legs that sit low to the floor should not be used on carpet at all. You should also not use these appliances to dry wet items of clothing, even if you are sitting there watching them.
Your chimney needs to be cleaned out every year and the creosote build-up removed. Creosote is a result of burning wood in your fireplace, coats the inside of the chimney, and is extremely flammable.
You should have at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher. If your house only has one floor, the best place for it is in the kitchen and if your home has more than one floor, there should be one on the other floors, as well. This makes sure that the fire does not get out of control while you run to the other end of the house to get the fire extinguisher.
The first thing that you need to do is know that most fires start in the kitchen. The largest reason for this is that many people leave things cooking on the stove so they can go to another room of the house and take care of another chore, watch tv, or even leave the house to run an errand. You should never, ever leave your home while something is on the stove unless someone is still there to watch it for you while you are gone. Even clothes dryers need to be turned off if you are planning on leaving the house.
Rags and paper towels soaked with gasoline should never be tossed in the garbage with other combustible items. These items should be laid out flat outside somewhere so the gas will evaporate. Do this somewhere away from heat.
If you clean anything with turpentine or gas, please do it outside. The fumes from both of these items are heavier than air and will sink to the floor. Sparks from electronic items or wall outlets will ignite the fumes, possibly resulting in an explosion.
Space heaters should never be used near combustible items and if you have to use a heater on a carpeted surface, the heat should be emitted from a portion of the heater that is up and away from the floor. Space heaters with short legs that sit low to the floor should not be used on carpet at all. You should also not use these appliances to dry wet items of clothing, even if you are sitting there watching them.
Your chimney needs to be cleaned out every year and the creosote build-up removed. Creosote is a result of burning wood in your fireplace, coats the inside of the chimney, and is extremely flammable.
You should have at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher. If your house only has one floor, the best place for it is in the kitchen and if your home has more than one floor, there should be one on the other floors, as well. This makes sure that the fire does not get out of control while you run to the other end of the house to get the fire extinguisher.
Guaranteed To Prevent House Fires
Even though house fires claim a great many lives around the world and cause billions of dollars in damage to property, there are a lot of things that you can do to reduce the risk that your home or business will catch on fire. Following a few basic guidelines will do this, as long as you make sure the rest of your home follows them, as well.
Store everything that is labeled as flammable outside the house, preferably in a shed of some kind. This includes items like turpentine, gas, paint thinner, propane, and etcetera. The further away from your home these items are, the better.
You should never clean anything with gas or turpentine in your house. Fumes of a lot of flammable chemicals like this are heavier than air and will settle to the floor. All it takes is one spark from a wall outlet and the whole house will go up in flames.
Any time you do work in the garage or outside and you have rags or paper towels that become soaked with flammable chemicals, you should never throw them in the garbage along with other paper materials. The gas needs to evaporate from these items, not insulate so that it becomes heated.
The space heaters in your home that you use in the winter to keep warm should never be placed near combustible materials. This is one of the worst mistakes you can make, along with leaving the home while the heaters are in operation. You should also never use space heaters to dry wet clothes, even a small pair of socks or mittens.
Appliances like space heaters that emit a lot of heat should never be used with extension cords that are not considered heavy duty. A heavy duty cord that is at least a 14 gauge should be used with these or else the cord will melt.
Extension cords should also never be run underneath a rug or carpet, since this will insulate the heat emitted by the cord.
Your smoke detectors should be tested regularly and the batteries replaced.
Finally, most house fires start within the kitchen, even though a large number of them go unreported simply because they did not do any damage extensive enough to warrant an insurance claim. Never leave anything you are cooking unattended.
Store everything that is labeled as flammable outside the house, preferably in a shed of some kind. This includes items like turpentine, gas, paint thinner, propane, and etcetera. The further away from your home these items are, the better.
You should never clean anything with gas or turpentine in your house. Fumes of a lot of flammable chemicals like this are heavier than air and will settle to the floor. All it takes is one spark from a wall outlet and the whole house will go up in flames.
Any time you do work in the garage or outside and you have rags or paper towels that become soaked with flammable chemicals, you should never throw them in the garbage along with other paper materials. The gas needs to evaporate from these items, not insulate so that it becomes heated.
The space heaters in your home that you use in the winter to keep warm should never be placed near combustible materials. This is one of the worst mistakes you can make, along with leaving the home while the heaters are in operation. You should also never use space heaters to dry wet clothes, even a small pair of socks or mittens.
Appliances like space heaters that emit a lot of heat should never be used with extension cords that are not considered heavy duty. A heavy duty cord that is at least a 14 gauge should be used with these or else the cord will melt.
Extension cords should also never be run underneath a rug or carpet, since this will insulate the heat emitted by the cord.
Your smoke detectors should be tested regularly and the batteries replaced.
Finally, most house fires start within the kitchen, even though a large number of them go unreported simply because they did not do any damage extensive enough to warrant an insurance claim. Never leave anything you are cooking unattended.
Are You Ready To Prevent A House Fire?
Preventing your house from catching on fire is probably not as difficult as you think it is, even though there are a large number of house fires all around the world every year. These cause an extensive loss of life and loss of property, but knowing a few simple rules and guidelines can save you from most of the risk of this happening to you. After you read this, make sure the rest of your family knows your house fire safety rules and that you are serious about enforcing them.
The first thing that you need is a fire extinguisher on each level of your home and the knowledge of how to use it correctly. It should be at least 5 pounds and there should be one in the kitchen, since this is the main area of the home where fires start. Know that a fire does not always have to be put out with a fire extinguisher, so if you can put out a small fire on the stove that started under the burner with a handful or two of baking soda, go for it. But, do not hesitate to use your fire extinguisher if you think for a minute it is getting out of hand.
All combustible materials need to be kept away from heat sources like furnaces, water heaters, and space heaters.
Space heaters are a problem all to themselves, since their specific purpose is to put out heat and since you have the option of placing them wherever you want them, their level of risk is increased. Never place these items on carpet if you can help it, especially those space heaters that sit low to the floor with short legs. Do not use these to dry any fabric and never use them with extension cords unless the cord is heavy duty. Small extension cords coupled with appliances that use a lot of electricity, especially to produce heat, will melt.
Flammable chemicals need to be kept outside of the house and away from it in a shed, if possible. If you do not have a shed or storage area to put these in, have a neighbor or a friend who does store them for you.
Cleaning items with turpentine or gas should be done outside. The fumes from these chemicals should not be allowed to build up inside the house, since they are heavier than air and will settle on the floor.
The first thing that you need is a fire extinguisher on each level of your home and the knowledge of how to use it correctly. It should be at least 5 pounds and there should be one in the kitchen, since this is the main area of the home where fires start. Know that a fire does not always have to be put out with a fire extinguisher, so if you can put out a small fire on the stove that started under the burner with a handful or two of baking soda, go for it. But, do not hesitate to use your fire extinguisher if you think for a minute it is getting out of hand.
All combustible materials need to be kept away from heat sources like furnaces, water heaters, and space heaters.
Space heaters are a problem all to themselves, since their specific purpose is to put out heat and since you have the option of placing them wherever you want them, their level of risk is increased. Never place these items on carpet if you can help it, especially those space heaters that sit low to the floor with short legs. Do not use these to dry any fabric and never use them with extension cords unless the cord is heavy duty. Small extension cords coupled with appliances that use a lot of electricity, especially to produce heat, will melt.
Flammable chemicals need to be kept outside of the house and away from it in a shed, if possible. If you do not have a shed or storage area to put these in, have a neighbor or a friend who does store them for you.
Cleaning items with turpentine or gas should be done outside. The fumes from these chemicals should not be allowed to build up inside the house, since they are heavier than air and will settle on the floor.
Your Christmas Tree Can Be A Fire Hazard
Most Christian people have Christmas trees in their home around December, but sometimes think about how pretty the tree is much more than they think about what kind of a hazard it presents to the home when it is improperly cared for. Even though a Christmas tree catching on fire does not happen very often, it still does, and by following a few rules, you can make sure that it does not happen to you.
The tree that you pick should be a fresh one and has next to no needles that are turning brown. They should also be difficult to pull off; if you run your fingers over the needles and they fall off easily, you need to find another tree. Pick up the tree and tap the bottom against the ground to see how many needles fall off. If a lot of the green needles fall off in addition to the brown ones, it has already started to dry out.
When you cut down a Christmas tree, you should never cut it at an angle because this affects the ability of the tree to absorb water. It will dry out much faster than it would if you cut it straight from one side to the other.
One of the first things you need to do is keep the tree watered regularly. A tree that does not receive enough water will dry out and this is the last thing that you want. After the tree starts to shed its needles after Christmas is over, it is time to get rid of it.
They should also not be placed near any source of heat like a fireplace, space heaters, or radiators. Christmas trees only take a moment to catch on fire and once they are, it can be almost impossible to put it out. This is why it is extremely important to make sure that it remains moist by giving it fresh water every day.
If you leave the home and there is not going to be anyone there, it is best to unplug the lights from the wall. You should also do this when you go to bed. It may not seem like the lights would cause that much of a risk, but even small light bulbs can start fires like this.
The tree that you pick should be a fresh one and has next to no needles that are turning brown. They should also be difficult to pull off; if you run your fingers over the needles and they fall off easily, you need to find another tree. Pick up the tree and tap the bottom against the ground to see how many needles fall off. If a lot of the green needles fall off in addition to the brown ones, it has already started to dry out.
When you cut down a Christmas tree, you should never cut it at an angle because this affects the ability of the tree to absorb water. It will dry out much faster than it would if you cut it straight from one side to the other.
One of the first things you need to do is keep the tree watered regularly. A tree that does not receive enough water will dry out and this is the last thing that you want. After the tree starts to shed its needles after Christmas is over, it is time to get rid of it.
They should also not be placed near any source of heat like a fireplace, space heaters, or radiators. Christmas trees only take a moment to catch on fire and once they are, it can be almost impossible to put it out. This is why it is extremely important to make sure that it remains moist by giving it fresh water every day.
If you leave the home and there is not going to be anyone there, it is best to unplug the lights from the wall. You should also do this when you go to bed. It may not seem like the lights would cause that much of a risk, but even small light bulbs can start fires like this.
Household Fire Safety
A lot of people think that a house fire is something that cannot happen to them, but the fact of it is that there are a huge number of these that occur all around the world every day and destroy a large amount of property. There are a lot of things that you can do to protect your family and your property from this and it starts with having the right attitude about heat and electricity.
There are a few appliances in the house that you need to take extra care with when you use them and these are characterized by a large amount of electricity and heat. Space heaters that you use in the winter time to keep your house warm when you cannot afford a natural gas bill fit this description perfectly and the correct placement of these is critical. Never place these near curtains, upholstered furniture, and if you can help it, on carpet. Some space heaters can be used on carpet if the fan that blows the heat is at least 12 inches or so off the floor so the carpet is not heated by it. Space heaters with short legs are the most dangerous on carpet.
Be careful when using appliances with extension cords. Using something like a deep fryer, electric skillet, space heater, or electric blanket with a common household extension cord is a bad idea. You can use these with heavy duty extension cords, but make sure they are at least a 14 gauge. If it is not a heavy duty cord, it will melt.
If you use electric blankets during the winter, you should never leave them on while you are sleeping. There have been quite a few people that have woken up to their bed on fire because they decided to leave the blanket on all night instead of just using it to warm up the bed like the instructions intend. When you store these, do so in the top of the closet or somewhere else up high where it cannot be stepped on, since the heating coils inside these are easily damaged.
Grease fires in the kitchen are the most common type of fire and you should never leave anything that you are cooking on the stove or any other cooking appliance unattended. Try not to leave the room for any reason unless you can have someone come into the kitchen and watch the food for you while you take care of business in another area of the house. Never, ever leave the house while something is cooking, even if you are just boiling water.
There are a few appliances in the house that you need to take extra care with when you use them and these are characterized by a large amount of electricity and heat. Space heaters that you use in the winter time to keep your house warm when you cannot afford a natural gas bill fit this description perfectly and the correct placement of these is critical. Never place these near curtains, upholstered furniture, and if you can help it, on carpet. Some space heaters can be used on carpet if the fan that blows the heat is at least 12 inches or so off the floor so the carpet is not heated by it. Space heaters with short legs are the most dangerous on carpet.
Be careful when using appliances with extension cords. Using something like a deep fryer, electric skillet, space heater, or electric blanket with a common household extension cord is a bad idea. You can use these with heavy duty extension cords, but make sure they are at least a 14 gauge. If it is not a heavy duty cord, it will melt.
If you use electric blankets during the winter, you should never leave them on while you are sleeping. There have been quite a few people that have woken up to their bed on fire because they decided to leave the blanket on all night instead of just using it to warm up the bed like the instructions intend. When you store these, do so in the top of the closet or somewhere else up high where it cannot be stepped on, since the heating coils inside these are easily damaged.
Grease fires in the kitchen are the most common type of fire and you should never leave anything that you are cooking on the stove or any other cooking appliance unattended. Try not to leave the room for any reason unless you can have someone come into the kitchen and watch the food for you while you take care of business in another area of the house. Never, ever leave the house while something is cooking, even if you are just boiling water.
Easy Ways To Prevent House Fires
House fires claim lives and destroy property all across the globe, but you and your home do not have to be a victim. As long as you follow a set of guidelines that have been developed to protect you and your family, the chance that your home will catch on fire will be greatly reduced. Make sure the rest of your household knows these new rules and that you plan on having them follow them to the letter, though, or the effort will be wasted.
One of the most important things is to realize that most house fires start in the kitchen. These usually start due to human error or negligence, but mostly it is because items are left unattended on the stove. This is something that you should never do. Do not allow yourself to become occupied with other events in your home such as fighting children, the telephone, or family members wanting you in another room. If you want to watch something on TV while you are cooking, have a small television installed in the kitchen, perhaps under one of the upper cabinets. Give yourself every reason to stay in the kitchen.
You should also not ever try to open your stove’s oven door while it is cleaning itself. Most ovens lock shut while they are cleaning themselves and you should not try to force this door open due to the amount of heat inside. This is a hotter temperature than it will allow you to cook things at.
If you ever have to clean anything with gas or turpentine, do it outside away from your house due to the fumes. The fumes are heavier than air and settle around the floor, making any spark from a wall outlet a serious threat. These and other materials marked as highly flammable should be stored outside the home and away from it, in a shed of some kind if possible.
Your electrical outlets should never be overloaded with accessories that create extra outlets or extension cords. Extension cords, when you do have to use them, should not be used with devices that are created to emit a large amount of heat, such as space heaters or items that you cook with, such as electric skillets. These will melt most household extension cords, so a more heavy duty variety should be used. Never run extension cords under rugs or carpet.
The batteries in your smoke detectors need to be changed at least once a year. Test your smoke detector every few months to make sure that it is working correctly and having one that also detects carbon monoxide is an added bonus, since this is a silent, invisible killer that is more common than you may realize.
One of the most important things is to realize that most house fires start in the kitchen. These usually start due to human error or negligence, but mostly it is because items are left unattended on the stove. This is something that you should never do. Do not allow yourself to become occupied with other events in your home such as fighting children, the telephone, or family members wanting you in another room. If you want to watch something on TV while you are cooking, have a small television installed in the kitchen, perhaps under one of the upper cabinets. Give yourself every reason to stay in the kitchen.
You should also not ever try to open your stove’s oven door while it is cleaning itself. Most ovens lock shut while they are cleaning themselves and you should not try to force this door open due to the amount of heat inside. This is a hotter temperature than it will allow you to cook things at.
If you ever have to clean anything with gas or turpentine, do it outside away from your house due to the fumes. The fumes are heavier than air and settle around the floor, making any spark from a wall outlet a serious threat. These and other materials marked as highly flammable should be stored outside the home and away from it, in a shed of some kind if possible.
Your electrical outlets should never be overloaded with accessories that create extra outlets or extension cords. Extension cords, when you do have to use them, should not be used with devices that are created to emit a large amount of heat, such as space heaters or items that you cook with, such as electric skillets. These will melt most household extension cords, so a more heavy duty variety should be used. Never run extension cords under rugs or carpet.
The batteries in your smoke detectors need to be changed at least once a year. Test your smoke detector every few months to make sure that it is working correctly and having one that also detects carbon monoxide is an added bonus, since this is a silent, invisible killer that is more common than you may realize.
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