Every year, there are numerous house fires in the Mesa area due to a number of different factors. You can do your part to protect your home from being next by taking the time to install or update a few safety devices.
Steps to Keep Your Family Safe
There are various ways to improve the safety around your home. Today, we have numerous tools and technological advances that make it even easier to do so. Here are a few examples to help you get started.
Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms are a critical component of your safety. They warn your family to take action as soon as there’s a risk. Here are some guidelines to follow:
- Place smoke alarms near fire-risk points, such as the kitchen, fireplaces, and at the highest points in your home where smoke will rise to. Also place them close to bedrooms so you can hear them when sleeping.
- Test them. Don’t be fooled to believe the smoke alarm you installed years ago still works. In fact, if your alarms are more than ten-years-old, replace them. Also, make it a routine to change the batteries every year.
If you are replacing your smoke alarms, you can choose a less expensive stand-alone version, or a connected version, such as a Nest smoke alarm. Connected alarms work well because they alert you no matter where you are in your home.
No matter if they are standard or connected, they can fail. In fact, a couple models of the popular Kidde smoke detectors were recently recalled.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire Extinguishers can lives if you know how to use them. Numerous types exist. Here are a few key recommendations to keep in mind:
- Ordinary combustibles, such as wood, rubber, and cloth, are best treated with a water extinguisher.
- When there is the risk of paints, oils, and gas, a CO2 extinguisher or dry chemical extinguisher is best.
- For kitchen fires, Class K extinguishers are best (though these are mostly for commercial kitchens).
OSHA offers some additional information you can use to ensure you have the right fire extinguisher in hand. But, the key is to ensure you and your family know how to use it. You can learn how to do that at the OSHA website.
Keep in mind, as with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers are recalled from time-to-time as well. We recommend checking out this recall for Kidde fire extinguishers to be sure you are not affected.
CO Alarms
Carbon monoxide is perhaps the most dangerous of all risks. And, many of our Mesa area homeowners don’t have the proper alarms in place for early detection. CO, or carbon monoxide, is an odorless gas that is life-threatening. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious concern to all homeowners in our area.
- Install a CO alarm system in your home. Connected and traditional models exist.
- Be sure to place these by your bedroom since the largest danger happens at night while you are sleeping.
- Maintain it – that means changing out the batteries and testing it according to manufacturer recommendations at least one time a month.
Every one of these steps is critical to keeping your family safe. We encourage you to contact our home insurance team to have your questions answered.