Did you know that around 60% of household deaths from fires occur in homes that don’t have a working smoke alarm? As soon as smoke appears, if you have an installed Wayne Alarm smoke detector, the authorities will be alerted. Doing your part to help keep yourself, your home and your family safe is crucial. On top of having an installed fire alarm, be sure that you are safe around the house. These are general tips that you should follow in order to stay as safe as possible.
General Fire Safety Tips
- Test your smoke alarms once a month to make sure they’re working. If they aren’t, be sure that you check your batteries.
- The second a fire occurs in your home, get out immediately, stay outside and call the authorities right away.
- Be sure to keep any items that can catch fire away at least three feet away from anything that can get too hot, such as your home heaters.
- Smoking inside is never a good idea, and especially make sure that you aren’t doing so in bed.
- When you leave a room or go to sleep be sure that you’re turning off any portable heaters.
- Be extremely careful when you’re cooking. Never leave the kitchen area when your stovetop is turned on.
- Blow out any candles before you leave a room or before you fall asleep.
- Teach your children not to play with any matches or lighters. Make it a habit to teach them the correct or incorrect habits.
How to Avoid Chimney Fires
Fireplaces and flues add to the comfort and aesthetic of your home, but dirty and poorly maintained chimneys can eventually cause chimney fires that damage your home’s structure and can severely injure people.
Chimney fires are incredibly dangerous events because they often occur undetected, but signs of fire include high levels of dense smoke, loud cracking noises and an intense smell. These fires are caused by a buildup of creosote, also known as soot — excessive creosote is caused by restricted chimney airflow, the burning of unseasoned wood and unusually cool chimney temperatures.
If you’re a New England homeowner who enjoys using your wood-burning stove or fireplace often throughout the winter, it’s crucial that you understand how to avoid damaging and dangerous chimney fires. Keep your home and family safe by following these fire prevention tips:
- Inspections: Regularly look over your fireplace or wood-burning stove’s flue vents, noting special instructions from your manufacturer guidelines and keeping these pieces regularly cleaned.
- Cleanings: Have your chimney thoroughly cleaned at least once every year before heavy use or when the soot buildup is a one-quarter inch thick. Make sure your chimney cleaning professional is certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).
- Burnings: Burn your fireplace or wood stove in the “burn zone” every day. Regularly burning your stove or fireplace in the burn zone can reduce the buildup or creosote. When using your fireplace, make sure to only use the hardest woods — like hickory, ash and maple — that have been seasoned for at least a year.
Other Fire Prevention Tips at Home
Understanding how to prevent chimney fires is important for all New England homeowners, and so is knowing how to take necessary precautions while using your fireplace to protect your home and family. If you plan on using your fireplace or wood-burning stove regularly throughout the winter to dull that persistent chill, note the following tips to prevent home fires:
- Keep a fire extinguisher available and easily accessible. Also, ensure all family members know where the extinguisher is located and understand how to operate it properly.
- Install smoke detectors in every room with a wood stove or fireplace, and regularly test the devices to guarantee proper functionality.
- Regularly remove ashes and store them in a non-combustible, lidded metal container that’s kept away from flammable items.
- Avoid soot buildup that can lead to fires by burning only dry, seasoned wood — not green or damp materials.
- Ensure your fireplaces or wood-burning stoves have tight-fitting glass doors or smoke screens to prevent stray sparks from igniting nearby flammable objects like carpeting, drapes or other materials.
- Do not use flammable materials or liquids to accelerate or start a fire.
- Never leave a fireplace unattended, and always monitor pets and children around burning fires.
Improve Your Home Safety With Wayne Alarm Systems
Wayne Alarm Systems is New England’s best solution for exceptional home security. We’ve spent over 50 years serving homeowners throughout Massachusetts and beyond with all of their security needs to ensure the safety and protection of their homes and families — guaranteeing lasting defense and peace of mind. Our team of highly skilled and knowledgeable security professionals will work closely with you during a free security consultation to select and install quality home security systems and home automation to suit your needs, budget and high expectations.
Learn more about our home security solutions today by calling us at 781-595-0000 to speak to a specialist. You can also complete our online contact form to request additional information.
