Fire Safety Tips !

It is time to touch on some more safety tips, after the brush fires that we have been having over the passed few weeks with all the nice weather, and now the possible arson brush fire I want to take the time to not only speak on fire safety as well as some important things for first time home-buyers to look out for.  Most people know that when you buy your first home that you want to make sure that your smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly but there are more precautions you can take to ensure your family is safe.  

Doors: 

This is often over-looked by many homeowners but you should try to be sure that all the doors in your home are solid doors rather than hollow.  This is Fire Safety 101, a solid wood door will keep the fire out of a room !  If you can not have them in all rooms your bedroom doors should be the first ones you change ! 

Fireplaces:

Now if you are purchasing a home with a fire place there are many different kinds but the safest fireplace be in my opinion is a coal fire place.  This is because when the coal burns it turns into ash, and will not have any embers to fly out while you are keeping warm and cozy! Many coal fireplaces will also have a "burn setting" that allows you to safely use this fireplace to heat your home, throughout the winter.  

You will also want to know if your fireplace is convection, or radiant heat.  Radiant fireplaces can often cause the items closest to the fireplace to become very hot, and can be a potential danger when you have small children.  You also want be sure that the proper materials were used to vent the fireplace so you do not need to worry about possible hazards inside of your homes walls that you can not see ! 

When you have your home inspection done, they will always check the fireplace but it is also important that you have it checked annually once you have moved into your new home.   A chimney could have build up causing improper ventilation, a build up of a flammable substance called creosote, or a loose chimney cap could allow animals, rains or leaf build up in your chimney.  

Garage

Now this is usually some debate for people, because how do you keep a garage safe when it is used to store all those things that you don't want to risk having in your home (ex: spray-paint, propane, sealers, gas).  If you do not have a shed to put these items in you want to make sure that you set aside a specific area to store these items, be sure that they are in a secured non-flammable cabinet with a fire estinguisher close by.  You can find these kinds of "lockers" and your most Home Depot or Loews stores.  

Outdoor Sheds

If you will be using your outdoor shed to store all of those things that could potentially ignite or fuel a fire the most important thing is the location of where you will be putting the structure.  You want to be sure that it is built on a cement slab, and not in close proximity to the home.  The safest place to put your shed is in one of the back corners of your yard, with enough room that it is not right on top of your fence, be sure to check your towns zoning to see how large of a shed your allowed, and what restrictions they have on placement.    

Outdoor Heating

Outdoor fire pits are also becoming a big back yard amenity that many people like to have.  There are some very important things you should remember before using your fire-pit.  First is to make sure that it is a level surface ideally you want this on a patio to ensure any embers that fly out of the fire are on a solid safe surface.  You want to also make sure that it is at least 10 feet away from any flammable structure such as your home, swing sets, or sheds.   Most important is when you are lighting a fire in this you do not want to use any additional igniters such as gas or lighter fluid, you can pick up easy start logs that have small igniters to make getting your fire going very easy!  

The Most Important Tip Is To Have A Plan !! 

Once you have moved into a new home a very important but often overlooked aspect is your plan IF there is a fire.  Always sit down with your children, even your ederly parents and older children and have a specific place on your property where you will meet in case of a fire in your home.  The reaction of many during this kind of emergency is to run, you need to have a safe specific place where everyone knows to go that is safe and in the open so you can know everyone is safe as quickly as possible !  

There are a few other precautions you should take in your home to be sure your family is protected to find out more you can check with your local library or fire-stations they often have classes or seminars to help keep you informed.  Coldwell Banker Residential does have a Fire Safety Seminar during the summer, but I am currently working on holding one prior to the summer fun begins!