5 tricks to help make your home more fireproof, Building H&S design tips, Property fire safety advice

Tricks to Make Your Home More Fireproof Guide

9 Jul 2021

Help make your home more fireproof tips

You can never have too much fire protection at your house. Even if you are confident in your current fire suppression systems, it’s a good idea to go over the basics from time to time to see if there is anything else you can do to protect your home from fires. And to make sure all your current measures are working as intended.

With that in mind, here are some tips that can help make your home more fireproof.

1 – Keep flammables away from danger

Electrical sparks are one of the most common sources of house fires. You can stop a spark from becoming a fire by keeping the area around your outlets clear of flammable materials — don’t have a trash bin right under an outlet, for example.

Another good precaution is to keep flammable liquids stored in closets, where they can be protected and raised from the ground. Finally, keep the area around your oven clear of flammable materials.

2 – Get an extinguisher

An ABC-rated fire extinguisher can take care of any type of fire you’re likely to encounter in your home. It’s wise to keep your extinguisher near the kitchen, where accidents with fire are more likely to happen.

3 – Hire an inspector

Since fire suppression systems only engage when things go wrong, they might go stay in place for years or decades with no use. During this time the system may suffer damage and stop working, so it’s a good idea to have a professional check and test your fire suppression systems from time to time.

Companies that provide a fire sprinkler service often offer sprinkler inspections as well. You can test your smoke alarms yourself, or have a professional do it. And finally, your extinguishers also need to be tested and maintained from time to time — the extinguisher’s manufacturer will have more information on how often your fire extinguisher needs to be checked.

4 – Use fire-retardant materials

If you are moving into a new home or due for a renovation, consider switching to fire-retardant furniture and furnishings. You can get sofas, carpets, curtains, and all various other types of furniture that are made with fire-retardant materials. These are much harder to burn, which can prevent fires from starting, or make it harder for them to spread.

However, buying a bunch of new furniture isn’t always an option. If that’s the case, you can get a similar effect by spraying flammable surfaces around your house with eco-friendly fire-retardant chemicals, which will create a protective layer around them. For a more permanent solution, you can try fire retardant bed covers, sheets, sofa covers, and more.

5 – Manage dead leaves

Dry leaves are an easy source of fuel for fires. These can ignite on their own, or provide a clear path for an ongoing fire to spread and reach your home. It’s important to keep the area around your home clear of these leaves. This includes not only regularly cleaning your yard, but also your roof and gutters to prevent the buildup of leaves.

Comments on this Tricks to Make Your Home More Fireproof Guide article are welcome.