Fire Alarm Safety Tips At Home

Let's be honest, homes have plenty of safety hazards. From slippery floors, sharp tables, stairs, kitchens and pools, your house and most other buildings have a vast range of hazards that can put our safety at risk. We don't think too much about it though, as accidents such as tripping on the floor and hitting your head on the ground is not likely to happen. And if it does, the majority of the time it's not going to be a critical situation. What is lethal though, are fires. If a fire breaks out in your house when you're sleeping at night, you'll only have a few minutes to evacuate before it's too late. That's why home fire alarms are a legal requirement. Without working fire alarms in your home, you are:

●     57% more likely to incur property loss and damage;

●     26% more likely to suffer serious injuries; and

●     4 times more likely to die

It's obvious that home fire safety is an exceptionally important, if not a life-saving subject. So here's a quick overview on some home fire alarm safety tips to make sure that you can sleep well during the night.

Ensure your fire alarms are located correctly

Fire alarms should be positioned between each bedroom and the rest of house. Moreover, fire alarms must also be placed inside every bedroom where anyone sleeps with the door closed. If you live in a multi-storey complex, fire alarms are required on each level in addition to fire alarms located along the evacuation route. It's imperative that you check you have sufficient fire alarms in your house and that they are located properly. Fire alarms that are located incorrectly are very dangerous because they provide a false sense of security.

Practice fire drills

While we all enjoy having a coffee and a conversation during the fire evacuation drills at the office, the same fire evacuation drills should be performed in your home. Locate the areas where a fire is likely to occur and work out an escape route for you and your family members. You'll obviously have to have several escape routes as a contingency, but if you and your family practice evacuating from each room in your house, you'll have no issues in the case of a fire. It's imperative that everybody understands the various ways to evacuate your house in the event of a fire, and you should practice your fire drills at least every 12 months.

Routine Maintenance

You have to perform regular maintenance on all your fire alarms at least every 2 months. Clean the dust, inspect the batteries, and press the test button to ensure that your fire alarm is working correctly. A good rule of thumb is to change your fire alarm batteries whenever you have to change your clock batteries (at least each year). Furthermore, never paint over your fire alarm or they simply will not work.

Ten year lifespan

Your fire alarms have approximately a 10-year life-span, so they need to be replaced every decade. If you're not sure when the last time your fire alarms were replaced, do it now just in case. Better to be safe than sorry.

Secure flammable materials in safe areas

It's essential that flammable materials are kept in safe areas to lower the likelihood of a fire. Keep heaters a minimum of 2 metres away from any flammable materials, and make certain your children and pets are carefully supervised when the heater is on. Never forget  to turn off your heater when you leave the room too. In addition, if you have gas bottles in the house, for example barbeque gas cylinders, put them in a place where kids cannot get access to them.

Specialised smoke alarms

For those who are deaf or have hearing troubles, specialised fire alarms are available. Whilst the costs of specialised fire alarms are more expensive than their traditional counterparts, the Department of Human Services provides assistance via a subsidy. All you require is a letter from your doctor detailing your medical condition.

Ensure you have a home fire extinguisher

Cooking is a typical cause of house fires, and in most cases, cooking fires can be extinguished with a home fire extinguisher. It's always a great idea to have several fire extinguishers positioned within your house so you can extinguish a small fire before it intensifies. Home fire extinguishers are also exceptionally useful in the event of a house fire, to ensure you can clear your evacuation path without causing any injuries while doing so. If you don't have a home fire extinguisher, then get in contact King Fire Protection Services on 1300 344 966 or visit their website: www.kingfire.com.au