Basic Fire Prevention Tips

With all the fires breaking out in Idaho recently our crew here at Restore Rite in Blackfoot wanted to provide you with some fire prevention tips to help keep your home or business safe.

Fire Prevention Tips

How are your gutters? Gutters are great for collecting water and saving your roof from the damage it can cause. Unfortunately, gutters are also great at collecting dry flammable debris as well. Make sure you keep your gutters clean and free of flammable debris to prevent a devastating fire from breaking out.

Got gas? If you store gasoline in your garage make sure it is stored away properly and away from any flammable objects. Store gasoline as far away from your home as possible. If a house fire breaks out the last thing you need is a gas explosion in your garage.

Is that smoke? Smoke detectors are crucial when it comes to fire safety. If you don’t have smoke detectors in your home already, install some asap. Keeping your smoke detectors in working order is also a must. According to national statistics, over 60% of deaths resulting from house fires were in homes that did not have working smoke alarms. Test your alarms twice a year and make sure to replace the batteries when you hear that “low battery” warning chirp.

Don’t let your dryer catch fire. Dryer lint makes a great fire starter so make sure you clean out the lint trap in your dryer. Fires caused by dryers are more common than you may think. Even top of the line dryers can catch on fire if the lint trap isn’t properly maintained.

Note: If your dryer stops drying your clothes like it should, check your exhaust line for lint, it may have become clogged.

Is that barbeque? When you use your outdoor grill make sure you leave adequate space between the siding of your home and your grill. Keeping the grill too close to your siding can cause an accidental fire.

If you are using a gas grill check your lines for any leaks or damage. If you are using a charcoal grill make sure you keep flammable objects away from the heat.

Putting out the Fire 

If a fire does break out in your home or business you should know how to put out different types of fires. First and foremost, contact the local fire department if a fire does break out in your home or business.

Note: these tips are for small fires.

Electrical Fire – Water and electricity do not mix! If an electrical fire breaks out turn off the power to whatever caused the fire. You can smother the fire with a nonflammable blanket or a Type C fire extinguisher.

Cooking Fire – Just like electricity and water, grease and water do not mix. If a grease fire breaks out in your kitchen calmly turn the heat source and use a metal lid to cover the fire if it is contained in a pan. If you are unable to do that, smother the flames with baking soda or use your fire extinguisher.

Gas Fire – If a gas fire breaks out in your home immediately turn off the gas supply. You can put the fire out with water, fire extinguisher, or nonflammable blanket.

If you do encounter a house fire and require assistance, contact a certified and insured professional fire damage restoration company near you to help get your property back to a livable condition. The professional fire damage team at RestoreRite offers 24/7 emergency assistance because you never know what time a fire may occur. If you live in or around Blackfoot Idaho, don’t forget that we are here for you.