So there is no such thing right? How can you make your house fireproof? Well, you can’t but you can make it much more difficult to burn your house down. The truth is that fire is a clear and present danger. I looked up tips on how to make your house as safe as possible against fires. The first is to keep Fire Extinguishers handy. Fire extinguishers are the best defense against fires so keeping a couple in the house is a great idea. Not only should you keep them readily available, you should keep them in higher fire potential areas like the kitchen and in rooms with a fireplace. You should also learn how to use them properly as you don’t want to read instructions as you are faced with battling a fresh blaze.
Another obvious way to help is to install smoke detectors. Yes they can be annoying but they are the law. You should check them quite often as well. Most of them make an annoying sound when the battery needs to be changed but some don’t. Checking them is easy, they have a button you can press on the exterior of the detector that will sound when pressed and held. Plug your ears, but check them often nonetheless. One you might not know is fire-resistant carpets. There are carpets, and there are fire-resistant carpets. Wool and synthetic carpets burn easily and because of their size, the fire spreads fast. Fire resistant carpeting is available in attractive colors and patterns that will add to the décor of your home so there is no reason not to go in for it. If you have small rugs in your home, get them treated with a fireproof chemical.
Electric fires can happen as often as kitchen and fireplace fires. So don’t overload your wiring. Electrical short circuits are a major cause of fires in the home. Never overload your electrical wiring and when installing any device that draws a heavy amount of electricity, have a licensed electrician check the wiring and outlet to ensure that there is no chance of sparking or an overload. Old and frayed wiring running from electrical appliances to the wall outlet are another fire hazard. Check these wires for signs of wear every 6 months an immediately replace any that pose a risk. Also check the plugs to ensure they fit tightly in the outlets. A loose fit will permit sparking and heat buildup. Rats, mice, and other rodents love to chew on electrical insulation. Even if your home is free of these pests, they could still be roaming around outside. Check all wiring for animal damage and replace any that appear to be bad. In the case of outdoor wring, make sure that the replacement wire is rated for outdoor use.
A great and not so obvious tool is to exercise common sense when dealing with this issue. Things like not leaving matches and lighter where small kids can find them. Or remembering to turn off electrical appliances when you go out or when not in use. Or turning off your electricity and gas mains when you are going to be away from home for an long period of time. These are precautions that we are all aware of but because they are so basic, we tend to take them for granted. Make it a habit to turn off all unrequired appliances, especially when you leave the home. And prepare a checklist of all the tasks you need to do when you are going on vacation or a trip and leaving the house empty.
Fireproofing your home does not mean that you are immune to the dangers of fire. Never take the dangers of fire for granted. But fireproofing does minimize the risk of injury and loss and this is something that every homeowner should pay attention to. Your home may be insured, but there are things that money can never replace which a fire could destroy. And the risk to life that a fire poses should never be ignored. Talk to your insurance agent about the fireproofing you are doing. Often the extra precautions you take can lower the cost of your home insurance and reduce the impact of any costs that the fireproofing entailed.