Fire Damage Repair Professional Guide - Preparing for a Home Fire

As far as cataclysmic disasters go there are few things as stunning as a fire that destroys your home and personal possessions. A fire in your residence is a harrowing and an intensely draining event, whether it destroys everything or not. But there are specific measures you can implement to decrease the chances of a fire from occurring in your residence. The fire damage repair team from Paul Davis understands the serious condition of house fires and that's why it's vital to know how to plan and prepare your property and what to do when a fire occurs.

At All Times - Have an Emergency Plan in Place

Safety has to be the first concern when prepping for a house fire, and smoke alarms and fire extinguishers should be located throughout the property. Smoke alarms are essential because a fire can come out of the blue and you need to do something as fast as possible. Something else to think about with smoke alarms is purchasing ones that can detect smoke caused by electrical fires. Finally, any kids living in the house need to be taught about what a smoke alarm sounds like when it's triggered and what to do when it occurs. Some other precautions consist of outlining emergency routes in your residence. Design a plan and ensure everybody in the house understands the emergency fire escape routes – there should be two exits for each room in the home. It's also necessary to have a planned meeting place outside so you know who gets out of the house and who is absent. Something else you should do is protect your important things like birth certificates, passports and photographs. You can make digital replicas and store them into cloud storage for safe keeping, and you can get a fire safe box to keep the hard copies secure too. Finally, take inventory of all your personal possessions for insurance reasons in the event they're burned up by the flames.

What to Be Mindful of to Minimize Home Fire Dangers

Despite the fact that some fires are uncontrollable, there are some precautions you should execute to prevent a house fire:

  • Smoking: Indoor smoking makes your home vulnerable to house fires, so the finest approach to prevent a disaster is to smoke outdoors. If you do smoke indoors, make sure you have suitable ashtrays to prevent a cigarette or cigar from falling onto the ground. Nevertheless, if somebody in the home is using oxygen, do not smoke indoors because oxygen is extremely combustible.
  • Children: Train your kids that fire is not something to play with, and make sure to keep lighters and matches in a secure place that is out of sight and out of reach.
  • Fireplaces: Getting a suitable fireplace screen is essential for the safety of your home and everybody in it. Ensure that it's stable enough to catch rolling logs and sparks. You also need to clean and maintain your fireplace routinely to clear away the highly combustible creosote that builds up.
  • Portable Heaters: Not under any circumstance should you leave a portable heater alone, and keep flammable objects three feet away from the heater. It's also fundamental for your portable heater to contain the right safety features. For instance, it shutting off when it falls over.
  • Appliances and Electrical: Worn down cords and broken plugs could easily form a house fire, so make sure to examine your appliances regularly for any problems. In addition, keep an eye on your light switches because if they're hot, they need to be changed.
  • Cooking: Always stay in the kitchen during the time food is on the stove or in the oven and never leave it unattended. If you need to leave the kitchen, get somebody to keep an eye on the food until you come back.

For Fire Damage Repair Maintenance - Call Paul for Professional Help Now

Call the professional fire damage repair team from Paul Davis right away if your home has had a fire. Our skillful contractors can re-mediate any fire damage and have your residence back in a habitable condition. For a Paul Davis franchise near you, call us at 888-473-7669.