Fires in your home

2/25/2022 (Permalink)

There are many reasons why a house fire can happen. Some of the main reasons may include cooking, candles, heating, smoking and electrical problems. According to the NFPA there are more than 350,000 home fires each year in the US, leading to more than 2,600 deaths. There are helpful tips you can follow to try to help avoid a house fire. The Red cross recommends these tips below.

1. All heaters need space. Keep children, pets and things that can burn (paper, matches, bedding, furniture, clothing, carpets, and rugs) at least three feet away from heating equipment.
2. If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs, carpets or near bedding or drapes. Plug power cords directly into outlets - never into an extension cord.
3. Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended, and use a glass or metal fire screen to keep fire and embers in the fireplace.
4. Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
5. Turn off portable space heaters every time you leave the room or go to sleep.

IF THE POWER GOES OUT

If electrical power lines are down, don’t touch them. Keep your family and pets away. Report downed lines to your utility company.

1. Use flash lights in the dark, not candles.
2. Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic lights will be out and roads will be congested.
3. If you are using a generator be sure you understand the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning and how to use generators safely.
4. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. First use perishable food from the refrigerator. Perishables should have a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) or below to be safe to eat. Then use food from the freezer.
5. Use your non-perishable foods and staples after using food from the refrigerator and freezer.
6. If it looks like the power outage will continue beyond a day, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items.
7. Keep food in a dry, cool spot and keep it covered at all times.
8. Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment, including sensitive electronics.
9. Turn off or disconnect any appliances (like stoves), equipment or electronics you were using when the power went out. When power comes back on, surges or spikes can damage equipment.
10. Leave one light turned on so you’ll know when the power comes back on.

If you have any fire, water or mold disasters give SERVPRO a call today! We have trained professionals ready to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!