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Home Fire Safety: Get Alarmed
Smoke alarms. We know what they look like. We (hopefully)
know where they’re located in our homes. But, the question is: do we know that
they’ll work if there’s a fire?
According to the Residential Fire Safety Institute, over 92
percent of dwellings in the U.S.
have at least one smoke detector.
That sounds like an encouraging statistic but it's estimated
that one third of these alarms no longer work. This is because many of us
either forget to test our alarms or don’t replace dead batteries when we should.
In addition to smoke alarms, you can make your home safer
from fires and smoke by installing a sprinkler system and placing portable fire
extinguishers in strategic places. Large windows also help if you have to get
out in a hurry. It’s also a good idea to install carbon monoxide detectors. Check
out our Insight The
Silent Killer: Protect Your Loved Ones and Your Home for more information.
Below are some tips from the Residential Fire Safety Institute and
the U.S. Fire Administration.
Maintenance
- Replace
smoke alarms every decade. After 10 years, they have a 30 percent failure
rate.
- Vacuum
alarms at least once a year to remove dust, a big contributor to faulty
alarms.
- Replace
batteries every year unless you use the long-life kind.
- Avoid
using long-life batteries in older smoke alarms as they could leave it
inoperable.
- Install
a mix of both ionization and photoelectric alarms. The ionization
detectors activate quicker for fast, flaming fires while the photoelectric
detectors respond faster to slow, smoldering fires.
Location
To ensure that you’ll hear the alarm and be able to respond
quickly, it’s a good idea to locate them:
- Outside
each bedroom area
- In
each bedroom
- On
every level of your home
Though cooking accounts for most home fires, you don’t want the alarm going off
every time you cook so make sure it’s not too close to the kitchen.
New homes
If you’re building a new home, the smoke alarms should be powered
by the house’s electrical system and have backup batteries. Also, the alarms
should be interconnected so if one unit detects smoke, all units will sound.
While building codes today are stricter regarding fire
safety, some fire officials think newer homes are more at risk compared to
older homes. This is because new homes are typically more insulated, so they tend
to experience faster, hotter fires because the insulation prevents the fire’s
heat from escaping.
Other fire safety measures
-
Fire sprinklers: To get the facts
(and dispel the myths), take a look at the USFA’s Residential
Sprinkler Systems to learn why they’re less troublesome than you may
think. Already have sprinklers? Don’t use them as a hanging tool or paint
the sprinklers as the paint will absorb heat, causing a delayed reaction
to a fire.
- Portable extinguishers: You want
to place the extinguisher in a spot that will let you escape. Remember,
most of us aren’t fire experts. While you may be successful in
extinguishing a burning pot, putting the fire out on a mattress might be
impossible with a small extinguisher. Getting everyone out of the house and
calling the fire department should take priority.
- Windows: To give you and your
family room to escape, experts recommend that windows be a minimum of 5.7
square feet. Height should be 24 feet while width needs to be at least 20
inches.
Smoke alarms, sprinklers, and extinguishers can help protect you
and your home. But, you need homeowners insurance or renters insurance to cover
your assets in the event of a fire. If you rent, your landlord’s insurance only
covers the structure of the building, not your personal belongings.
To protect your home, consider Esurance Homeowners Insurance
Program (EHIP), which is rated "A Prime" (unsurpassed) from Demotech
for financial strength and ability to pay claims. You can count on your
coverage through EHIP. Get
your quote today!
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