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Practice Indoor Fire Safety
The key to home fire safety is to plan ahead. Take steps now to find your home's fire safety "hot spots," and you'll gain peace of mind knowing you've done what you can to protect your home and family.
Take some time to do your own home fire safety inspection then visit your local True Value hardware store for all the products and expert advice you need to help safeguard your home against fire.
Step 1. Install Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarms
It's extremely important to have working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in your home. Once they're installed, remember to check the batteries twice a year and replace them as needed. An easy way to remember is to check the batteries when daylight savings time starts and ends.
Helpful Tip:
- Consider using alarms powered by lithium batteries. These batteries can last up to 10 years. After 10 years, it's also time to replace your smoke alarm.
To install smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, do a home walk-through. Look for places where you might have inadequate coverage and where it makes the most sense to place them. Be sure that you mount the devices inside or outside of bedrooms or in adjacent hallways. Smoke detectors should be installed high on the wall, preferably on the ceiling. Because smoke always rises, smoke detectors work best on the ceiling.
If attaching an alarm to the wall, mount it 6” or 12" from the ceiling. For a ceiling-mount, install the alarm about 4” from the wall.
Each device is different, so follow the manufacturers' directions when mounting a smoke/carbon monoxide detector. Most battery-powered smoke and CO detectors are easy to install using a power drill, a screwdriver and a ladder. Measure the distance between the screw holes on the detector and then place the detector where you want to install it. Using a pencil, make a small mark on the wall on the outside edge of the detector as a guide and then mark where the screw holes will be. Drill holes in the ceiling where you've marked and then mount the smoke detector using a screwdriver.
Helpful Tips:
- Don't install smoke detectors near windows or outside doors. If there is a fire, smoke might slip outside through one of these openings and not set off the alarm.
- Don't install smoke detectors in kitchens, bathrooms or living rooms. Steam from cooking or hot showers, as well as smoke from fireplaces and candles, can set off alarms unnecessarily.
- If you're using a CO detector that's not a combo smoke alarm unit, you can install it lower to the floor because carbon monoxide is heavier than air. Many are plug-in units that can be plugged into any wall socket.
If you want to install smoke detectors that are hard-wired to your electrical system, consult a certified electrician or have it professionally mounted.
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Step 2. Prepare & Plan Ahead
Fire safety is the whole family's responsibility. From the oldest to the youngest, work together to come up with an emergency escape plan in case of a fire or other emergency.
If it's possible, think of a plan that includes at least two ways to escape from each room in your home. Draw a map of the escape plan and include emergency phone numbers, then post copies in each bedroom. Be sure to review them once a month.
Retractable ladders are necessary for any bedroom not on the ground floor. Everyone in your family needs to know how to climb out the window and down a ladder in an emergency. Be sure to show everyone how to crawl under smoke to escape during a fire and how to cover their mouths and noses with their shirts or towels to keep from breathing in smoke. Designate an eldest child to assist the younger children, elderly family members or pets during an emergency.
Decide on a meeting spot outside and away from the house where everyone should gather once everyone has evacuated the house.
Be sure all children know what the fire alarm sounds like so they'll recognize it during a fire. Teach your children the “Stop, Drop and Roll" technique for putting out a fire on their clothes or hair.
Keep fire extinguishers in the kitchen, garage and basement and teach your family how to use them. To operate a fire extinguisher, just remember PASS: Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle, Squeeze the handle and Sweep from side-to-side as it sprays, extinguishing the flames. Recharge all extinguishers after any test.
Step 3. Practice Fireplace Safety
A fireplace is a cozy and attractive feature in any home, but it's important to have yours inspected and cleaned annually. Make sure your fireplace is properly vented to the outside and inspect it for any leaks in the exhaust pipe. Clean your chimney regularly with chimney rods and brushes designed for chimney sweeping or hire a professional.
Don't burn anything in the fireplace other than natural wood. Never leave a fire unattended under any circumstances. Be sure your children understand fireplace safety and monitor them and your pets at all times when they are around a roaring fireplace.
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Step 4. Practice Electrical Safety
Never use electrical appliances near water or close to faucets or water pipes. Do not use any electrical appliances — including hair dryers and stereos — while bathing or washing dishes. If an appliance falls into water, double check to ensure it is unplugged before you retrieve it.
Check all of your appliances for worn plugs or cracked wires. Do not attempt to make your own repairs unless you are an expert — electrical repairs are best left to the professionals. Unplug appliances when they are not in use.
Make sure you're not using oversized fuses or circuit breakers anywhere in your house; doing so will not allow the circuit to hold more or enhance the performance of appliances. In fact, this may actually cause overheating and lowered efficiency.
Take care of cords and electrical sockets. Always remove extension cords by the plug, not by tugging on the cord. Never break the ground prong of a three-prong plug to make it fit in a two-prong outlet — use an adaptor. Cover any unused outlets to keep everyone in your family safe.
It may seem like a lot of work, but fire safety important. With a fire safety plan in place and the proper precautions, you can rest easy knowing your home and family are prepared. For all of your fire safety projects in and around the house, visit your local True Value hardware store for the tools, products and expert advice you need to start right.
For more projects, go to TrueValue.com. >
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