7 ways to prevent fire damage in your home

4/29/2022 (Permalink)

If you find yourself in need of fire damage cleanup call the professionals at SERVPRO of Wood River Valley.

Here are a few interesting statistics about smoke alarms brought to you by the National Fire protection Association. 

Facts and figures about smoke alarms

• In 2014-2018, smoke alarms sounded in more than half (54%) of the home fires reported to U.S. fire departments.
• Almost three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (41%) or no working smoke alarms (16%).
• The death rate per 1,000 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (13.0 deaths vs. 5.8 deaths per 1,000 fires).
• In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, two of every five (41%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
• Dead batteries caused one-quarter (26%) of the smoke alarm failures.

Below are a few simple precautions you can take around your home to prevent and/or minimize a fire in your home or business.

1. The single most important preventive measure a homeowner can take is installing and maintaining smoke/carbon monoxide alarms throughout the home.
2. Working smoke alarms should be found in each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home.
3. Change the batteries in smoke/carbon monoxide alarms changed regularly. (A good time to do so is when the time changes in the spring and fall.)
4. Make sure you have an accessible fire extinguisher on each level of your home and be sure everyone in the house knows how to properly extinguish a blaze.
5. Reduce the risk of fire outside of the home by removing dying or dead trees and shrubs and by also keeping drybrush and debris at least 30 feet away from the home.
6. Keep gutters, roof, and eaves clear of debris?
7. Be sure any candles in the home are placed away from curtains and other furniture, as well as out of reach of children and pets.

If you find yourself in need of fire damage cleanup call the professionals at SERVPRO of Wood River Valley.