Spot’s 10 Fire Safety Tips

Here are Spot’s top 10 tips for what every homeowner can do to keep their house and family safe from potential fire risks.

1. Install smoke alarms on every level of your house close to the main living and sleeping areas. These alarms should be checked once a month and have their batteries changed every six months to ensure they’re in proper working order.
2. Regularly check your home’s major systems, such as your heating/cooling system, fuel lines, and water heater, to make sure they are clean, properly connected, and working efficiently. You can do this yourself, but we suggest calling a professional to ensure nothing is overlooked or malfunctioning.
3. Have your fireplace, chimney, and central furnace serviced once a year to avoid buildups and blocks in the vents.
4. Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) in all electrical outlets in wet areas such as your kitchen and bathrooms.
5. Avoid overusing extension cords and running them beneath rugs
6. Before going to bed, be sure to turn off any space heaters and extinguish any candles in the house. If you can, avoid using electric blankets while you sleep as well.
7. Don’t smoke in bed or while drowsy. Make sure to extinguish cigarette butts and ashes in water before throwing them out to avoid trash fires.
8. Never leave your house while the clothes dryer is running and be sure to clean out the lint tray and vents as often as possible.
9. Don’t use water to put out a grease fire on your stove. Baking soda and/or salt can do the trick – keep them handy near your stove just in case.
10. Have an escape plan and routine ready in case of emergency and make sure everyone in your household is familiar with what to do.

Preparation and vigilance are key factors when it comes to fire safety and prevention. For more ideas on home safety, check out 5 Tips To Make A Home Safer.