Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Avoid These Fire Hazards in Your Home

Here are 20 ways to prevent fire hazards in your home. You probably do a lot of these things already, but it never hurts to get a little reminder sometime on safety.

I especially was interested in No. 8: I often walk out of the kitchen with something on the stove and forget all about it as I sit in another room. Setting a timer makes good, safe sense!

1. Keep heat-generating items like computers, TVs and cable boxes well ventilated.
2. Switch them off (and unplug if you can) when nobody is going to be around.
3. Store flammable items securely (locked if possible) in a cool area, away from flames.
4. Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.
5. Know which clothing and furnishing fabrics are flammable and keep them away from flames.
6. Use fireguards to protect against accidental contact with flames.
7. Avoid loose clothing, especially sleeves, when you're using the stove.
8. If you leave items cooking, set an audible timer to remind you to check back.
9. Have the gas company check your appliances regularly.
10. Regularly inspect appliance wiring and plugs for signs of damage or heat.
11. Don’t use extension cords with space heaters (actually, always avoid them where possible).
12. Don’t plug too many items into one outlet or too high wattage a light bulb into a restricted fitting.
13. Avoid storing stacks of combustible material like paper that sometimes ignite by themselves.
14. Put a proper fitting over an exposed closet light bulb and don’t store items too close to it.
15. If there are smokers in the house: no smoking in bed or when they/you are sleepy.
16. Ensure all fire and dryer vents are clear and regularly cleaned.
17. Monitor all outside burning (yard fires, BBQs etc.) and extinguish them fully.
18. Position barbecues at least 10 feet from walls and fences when in use or cooling.
19. Don’t set electric blankets too high when you're not there, or allow pets to sleep on them,
20. Workshop tools that throw out sparks should be used away from all combustible material.

This list kindly provided by D. Aaron Buhl of the  Buhl Insurance Agency Inc., Gibsonia PA.