Nobody likes to hear this, but our homes are very exposed to household fires every single day. You cook every day, all your appliances work in the same time, and you use plenty of methods of heating in winter or cooling down in summer.
Even if you use the latest and safest electronics, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Let’s see today a few tips, tricks, and information to help you keep your house safe from fires!
Of course you know you should never leave the kitchen when you cook with open flames. Even a few seconds are crucial, especially if you fry food. Cooking oil reaches extremely high temperatures in a very short amount of time and gets inflamed easily. If your pan oil starts to burn in a flame, never pour water over it, even if this is the first thing you are tempted to do. You probably know that pouring water into sizzling oil leads to severe reactions. The best way to put down the fire is to use a piece of cloth made of natural fibers and immediately remove all other inflammable objects away from the stove!
Also – and this is extremely important – you should shut down the gas, but immediately open the window and wait at least half an hour before you start cooking again. Gases accumulate and they can lead to an explosion if you are not careful.
A smoke and gas detector in your house may actually save your life. In case you have a gas leak you don’t know about, the detector will immediately warn you and even shut down the gas in your entire house if necessary. Fire detectors can put down the fire immediately. You should also consider having a fire extinguisher around the house especially if you live in a home with a garage, garden shed, and other structures. Even if you live in an appartment, a small portable fire extinguisher can save the day – but make sure you keep it close at hand.
Even if radiators don’t work with open flames, keep objects away from them in winter. It’s better to avoid drying your clothes inside the house on the radiator, especially those clothes wearing a label saying “Keep away from fire”. Radiators can heat up the objects placed on them quite quickly.
If you are a smoker and you smoke inside the house never empty the ashtray in the garbage bin without making 110% sure you put down all your cigarettes well. You would be surprised how many household fires start in the trash bin in the kitchen because of poorly put out cigarettes.
You may think everything is in order but you should check your entire electrical installation with the help of a professional electrician.
In case of a fire you can’t put out immediately, call the fire department! If you want to have someone close, use your Red Panic Button app and send a distress message to your list of emergency contacts!