Now is the Time to Think of Fire Prevention

4/23/2019 (Permalink)

Cooking even in the MICROWAVE can be the source of damages. A simple potato cooked way too long caused an awful odor throughout the entire home!

Sadly, several years of drought had a part in last year’s worst fire season with over 1.8 billion acres burned in California. Families were devastated as more than one hundred lives were lost, homes and structures were charred and entire neighborhoods leveled.

Unfortunately, older homes are at high risk of catching fire quicker. If you have an older home, switching to fire-resistant materials when inspecting for damages, replacing or remodeling will help with improvements. Re-roofing? Perhaps consider bringing projects up to code as it will prove to be a worthwhile investment. Do your part to keep the community safe as wildfires are primarily started by people. Trim down dried trees, weeds and grass. Lawnmowers and other power tools used outdoors can spark a fire so during the hottest and driest months, proceed with extreme caution. Remove rocks in your path and mow in the early morning hours on non-windy days as they can spark when hit by a metal blade.

Is your building of newer construction with an automatic fire sprinkler system? This is important because it can act as your first line of defense against a potential fire. When properly maintained, they can truly make a difference by reducing heat, smoke, and flames. National Fire Association gives several fire causes such as cooking, candles, heating, smoking etc. and ways of prevention of each. They even state the odds of surviving a home fire increases eighty percent when a sprinkler system has been installed. Lives are invaluable so certainly well worth the approximately $1.35 per square foot cost of a sprinkler system home upgrade. And never underestimate the value of installing and annually testing both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms throughout each property and on every level of the home. Important to note as well is to ensure all halls and doorways are clear of tripping hazards and electrical outlets are never overloaded. We have seen fires start this way and it is always sad when with a little extra safety and precaution, a fire could have been avoided.

Cooking even in the MICROWAVE can be the source of damages. A simple potato cooked way too long caused an awful odor throughout the entire home!