How Should You Prepare & Plan for a House Fire? – Fire Damage Repair

As far as calamitous emergencies go there aren’t many situations as stunning as a fire that damages your property and personal possessions. A fire in your home is a distressing and an emotionally exhausting situation, whether it consumes everything or not. But there are some measures you can implement to lessen the odds of a fire from happening in your residence. The fire damage restoration team from Paul Davis knows the severe situation of house fires and that’s why it’s fundamental to know how to plan and prepare your property and what to do when a fire happens.

Fire Preparation – Property Recovery & Emergency Plans

One of the more crucial things you can do to plan for a house fire is to have safety measures ready. Since not all fires are avoidable, being safe is a necessity. Every residence needs the proper amount of smoke alarms and fire extinguishers set throughout the property. Additionally, you should consider buying smoke alarms that detect smoke that is caused by electrical fires since faulty wiring is one of the main causes of house fires. Children in the house should be educated on how a smoke alarm sounds when it goes off and what to do when this happens.

Implement fire escape routes and ensure everybody is aware of them. It’s necessary to have two exits out of all rooms in the property. You’ll also need to have a designated meeting area outside of the property so that you know everybody makes it out securely.

Taking inventory of your personal possessions is a great idea for insurance purposes in case all your property is demolished by the flames. Additionally, you’ll want to preserve valuable documents such as birth certificates and passports in a strong box, and you can create digital copies and upload them to a cloud drive for back ups.

What to Think about to Minimize House Fire Hazards

While some fires aren’t avoidable, there are some things you can do to minimize the prospect of a fire from occurring in your residence:

  • Fireplaces: It’s crucial to clean routinely and inspect your fireplace and chimney for creosote and other damage. Get a screen for your fireplace that is durable and big enough to catch sparks and block logs from rolling.
  • Portable Heaters: It’s imperative to relocate any combustible or flammable items at least three feet from a portable heater. You’ll also need your heater to have a control mechanism as well as other features for safety such as turning off if it falls over.
  • Smoking: Cigarettes and cigars are extreme fire perils, and taking your smoking outside is the perfect approach to prevent a house fire. If you smoke indoors, see that you have deep ashtrays and that you never smoke in bed or while you’re lethargic. In addition, never smoke indoors if someone in the house is using oxygen since this is extremely combustible.
  • Children: Train your children that fire is not something to play with, and make sure to keep lighters and matches in a secure spot that’s out of reach and out of sight.
  • Cooking: It’s of the utmost importance to be conscientious in the kitchen and to not ignore cooking food alone. Without exception have somebody there to keep an eye on what’s going on.
  • Appliances and Electrical: Shredded cords and damaged plugs could easily form a house fire, so make sure to check your appliances regularly for any problems. In addition, keep an eye on the switches for your lights because if they’re hot, they need to be replaced.

Call the Experienced Fire Damage Repair Contractors at Paul Davis

If you have a house fire, don’t wait to reach out to Paul Davis. Our professional team has the skills you need with fire damage restoration services and we‘ll have your property back to a good condition. Contact us at 888-473-7669 and a franchise near you will be prepared to help.