The most important part of house safety is fire safety, yet it can be challenging to locate the most necessary information.

Unfortunately, many people only realize the need for fire preparedness after it is already too late. We might become comfortable and too easily adopt the mindset that “that won’t happen to me” when we don’t consider home fires because they don’t affect our daily lives. But all it takes to put us in danger and ruin our lives is one mishap in the kitchen or one ember from the fireplace. In light of this, we have put together advice on how to prevent home fires from starting, as well as the best actions to take to ensure everyone escapes safely in the event that one does.

How to Stop House Fires

Naturally, prevention is the first step in ensuring house fire safety. A home security system with DIY monitoring can provide us with comfort for anxieties about break-ins, flooding, and smoke detection, but if we want to put out fires before they start, we must adopt better practices everywhere around the house. It’s less probable that we’ll ever need to employ the other strategies if we can reduce and manage the main sources of home fires.

While the majority of us are aware of the need of having functional smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, we are frequently careless when using space heaters or cooking. We promise that after you apply the advice below to your daily life, it won’t seem like there is a lot to remember at all—just like doing the dishes.

Fire Safety Risks at Home

The biggest causes of house fires are heating and cooking. Try to incorporate these principles into your daily life at home by being mindful in the kitchen, keeping children and dogs away from heaters and candles, and more.

In the kitchen:

• When something is frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling, remain in the kitchen. 
• Use a timer and regularly check on the food when cooking, baking, or roasting. 
• When you are tired or under the influence of alcohol, avoid using the stove or oven. 
• Maintain a minimum 3-foot distance between flammable items and the stovetop.

When heating your home:

• Make sure to only buy space heaters with fall-activated shut-offs and to place them in level, non-flammable surfaces at all times.
• Never leave a fireplace or space heater unattended. Before leaving a room, make sure to turn off any space heaters and put out any embers.
• Maintain a minimum 3-foot distance between flammable objects and fireplaces or space heaters.

Other leading home fire risks:

• Never smoke inside the house is another major fire hazard. From 2014 to 2018, smoking was the main factor in home fire deaths.
• Use flameless candles instead. If you must use flame-lit candles, make sure to put them out before leaving a room and never leave them unattended.
• All cords with frayed or exposed wires should be replaced. The third most common reason for house fires and the main reason for property damage is electrical equipment.
• Keep children away from lighters and matches. Store them securely and carefully, preferably up high or behind a lock.
• Avoid putting candles or space heaters within reach of pets to keep them safe.

Smoke detectors

Most states have laws requiring smoke alarms because they are essential early warning devices for home fire protection. The most crucial aspect of smoke alarms is that they frequently allow everyone to safely flee the house even if it burns down. To enhance smoke alarms’ use and efficiency in the home, installation and upkeep are crucial. Try to keep that in mind the next time one of your smoke alarms starts shrieking at 3 a.m. to warn of a low battery. It’s difficult to exaggerate how crucial smoke alarms are for safeguarding life and limb.

Where to put smoke detectors:

• Install smoke alarms outside all sleeping areas, within all bedrooms, and on all floors of the house, including the basement.
• To avoid false alarms, keep smoke alarms at least 10 feet away from kitchens.
• Place fire alarms high up on walls close to the ceiling or on the ceiling itself.
• Utilize a home security system that has connected smoke detectors and other environmental sensors. Even smoke detectors that link into your smart home may now be purchased and send notifications to your phone from anywhere.
• Smoke alarms with strobe lights and bed shakers should be installed for people who are hard of hearing or deaf.

How to maintain smoke alarms:

• Test your smoke alarms at least once a month to keep them in good working order. 
• Replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors at the same time that you change the smoke alarm batteries, which should be done at least once a year.
• Smoke alarms that are 10 years old or older should be completely replaced.