Five Ways to Prevent a House Fire in Your Greater Charlotte Home

At Restoration 1, evaluating the remains of someone’s home after a house fire is one of the most devastating things we witness. For this reason, we are more committed than ever to reduce the amount of home fires everywhere, starting in our area of Greater Charlotte. Here are five of the many ways you can help prevent a house fire in your home – all it takes is a little extra care and attention.

1. Keep a Fire Extinguisher

At home, you should always keep a fire extinguisher in case of a small, containable flame, one that you can take care of before it spreads. Place the extinguisher in a centrally located place in your home, such as under the kitchen sink. Everyone should know where it is, so they can act at a moment’s notice if required. Every family member that’s old enough should know how to activate and use a fire extinguisher safely. Take some time with your family and have an impromptu lesson so that everyone is well-informed.

2. Make Sure Your Smoke Alarms Work

There are many home fires across the nation that result in total destruction of property, and also in injury and death, that a functioning smoke alarm may have prevented. We’ve all been guilty of it – when the alarm’s battery starts running out and beeps incessantly, we just want it to stop. We might just pull out the battery, then replace it much later, or not at all! Ensure that your family has enough warning time in case of a fire – please make sure all of your smoke alarms work.

3. Maintain Your Air Conditioning and Furnace

Both of these appliances are very important no matter where you live, and they need to be routinely serviced. One of the major causes of home fires is a dirty, impenetrable filter that will not allow clean air to pass through and ends up causing a fire. This is still a risk with larger air conditioning units and furnaces, but it is more common with portable heating and cooling machines. Never cover them for any reason, and if the unit is very old, know that it may not be compatible with modern electrical outlets, and could spark. Since “older” also means a greater fire hazard – you may have more peace of mind with a newer appliance.

4. Pay Attention While You Cook

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires today. It makes sense – we’re all running a mile a minute and have so much to do, but we have to get a meal on the table for our families. With distractions all around us, it can be tempting to leave the kitchen for a few minutes while that pan is on the stove. Surely you have time to check your phone, catch part of a TV show, or answer an email or two. But in the blink of an eye that pan could catch flame, due to excess oil or a towel that was too close to the burner. If you don’t catch it early it can spread much too fast, and before you know it, you have to evacuate. Always remain in the kitchen at all times when you cook, and set a timer when you use the oven, too.

5. Turn Off Power Strips

Power strips with multiple outlet space is an incredible invention if you live in an older home. They are however a significant fire risk, if you are not good about turning them off at times. They use substantial power and generate heat that’s dangerous to have going around the clock. Before you leave for the day, make a habit of turning off the strip.

Call Restoration 1 of Greater Charlotte Today

At Restoration 1 of Greater Charlotte, we want you to be as informed as possible on ways to protect your home. Home fires are scary, sometimes life-threatening events that can often be prevented with additional precautions. However, if you ever experience a fire, know that you are not alone – call us today at (704) 741-7511 . We serve the surrounding cities of Charlotte, North Carolina and are available 24/7.