Be More Prepared for Fires With These Simple Tips | SERVPRO of Marietta West

7/12/2022 (Permalink)

If your home is damaged in a house fire, SERVPRO of Marietta West is here to help. Contact us for any fire restoration needs.

Fire damage never stops in this country, and already this year, the American Red Cross has responded to more than 20,000 house fires, which is only a small portion of the total fires that have occurred so far in 2022.

As always, smoke detectors are the main way to prevent extreme home damage or a loss of life, but there are many other measures that you’re able to take to protect yourself and your home. Some are more complex than others, but most involve a good cleaning:

Cleaning Your Hot Appliances

In the state of Georgia, we are proud to have many historic and legendary buildings all throughout our region. However, these buildings are likely outfitted with appliances and machines that are older than most.

Older appliances are more likely to malfunction and result in a fire because of their frequent use and lack of safety mechanisms to prevent accidental disasters. Cleaning them regularly and checking them for any damage is the best way to prevent destruction.

Along with cleaning these appliances frequently, reducing the clutter in your home can allow proper airflow through it, reducing the chance that anything overheats and ignites.

Overloaded extension cords are another frequent cause of fires inside the home. When too many devices are plugged in, these devices are unable to handle the electricity and can burst into flames themselves.

Create a Defensible Space in Your Yard

When a fire originates outside your home, the surrounding land often becomes the last guard against extreme damage. There are intentional landscaping designs that protect your home and provide ample space for emergency workers to do their job and stop a fire before it comes inside.

The level of damage that fires are causing has become so serious that states like California are actively imposing defensible zone requirements for areas outside the home. These methods have shown to be effective in slowing wildfires in the affected areas, but it’s a smart decision regardless of where you are.

However, this innovative technique won’t stop you from planting your garden or cultivating a flower bed—it instead focuses on placing these flowers, bushes and trees in strategic locations that help stop the spread of fires. By having them spread out in this way, it lowers the chance that the fire will jump from your yard to your home.

Keep It Clean & Keep It Safe

Along with maintaining your hot zones and cleaning up in your yard, a thorough spring-cleaning can also help reduce your risk of a fire. It’s best to schedule a time with your family in the spring or summer to work together and knock it out.

These tasks often seem to pile up and weigh you down, but giving yourself plenty of time and setting goals can help you get through them. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to reduce fire hazards in the home—simple tasks like dusting help with fire prevention.

If you have experienced fire damage or want to learn more about SERVPRO of Marietta West’s fire damage restoration services, contact us today. We’re here to act fast, 24⁄7.