Although you might scoff at the idea, unattended candles could be knocked over and present another fire safety risk.
Fires can happen even when you least expect it or don’t think they can start. They don’t only roar into life during the warmer months of spring and summer, with something as dramatic as a massive forest fire summoning brigades of firefighters and flights of helicopters to defeat it. In fact, it’s much more common to see a kitchen fire in your home break out. Here are four ways to ensure fire safety in your home this winter.
Make Sure Your Smoke Alarms Work
We can’t overstate enough the importance of functional and reliable smoke alarms. You never know when a fire might occur, and it might just happen while everybody is asleep. But a smoke alarm can detect the fumes from a fire and then rouse everyone inside. If the batteries need replacing, then do it. You’ll want to be sure you have a smoke alarm in the kitchen, in the laundry room, and in each bedroom. Putting one in the garage couldn’t hurt, either – especially if you want to have a carbon monoxide detector. But when you live in an apartment, you might only need one smoke alarm for the entire place.
Keep An Eye on Candles
Maybe you recently decided to treat yourself to a set of specialty candles. These candles could remind you of your favorite theme park, where you went with your family several months ago. But when you burn these candles to get through the winter doldrums, be sure to keep an eye on them – although you might scoff at the idea, unwatched candles could be knocked over and present another fire safety risk.
Deal with Kitchen Fires
As we mentioned above, you should deal with any kitchen fires that happen. Whether grease has caught on fire, or you left the oven too long, anything in the kitchen can burn around the heating elements, which is another fire safety risk. While a watched pot never boils, both pots and pans can overheat if you’re not careful.
Ensure You Have a Fire Extinguisher
Having a fire extinguisher in easy reach is always a good idea. Put one in the laundry room, and then get more. The second one could be kept in the kitchen. If you have upstairs bedrooms, be sure to have an extinguisher posted there as well.
Commercial and Residential Fire Prevention from Judd Fire Protection
If you want to ensure your home and business are safe throughout the year, trust Judd Fire Protection, LLC. We have over two decades of experience in designing, installing, inspecting, and repairing residential and commercial fire protection systems. We serve clients throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia. If you are interested in finding out more about our services and protecting your home and business, give us a call at 410-871-3480 or contact us online. For more fire safety tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.