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Fire Safety Starts With You | SERVPRO® of Alamo Heights
6/5/2022 (Permalink)
If your home is damaged in a house fire, SERVPRO of Alamo Heights is here to help. Contact us for any fire restoration need.
In the first five months of 2022, the American Red Cross responded to more than 20,000 house fires. While that number may seem unfathomable, that total is unfortunately not even the full total of house fires that have already occurred in 2022.
Your first line of defense is always a reliable smoke detector on each level of your home. But in addition to the solid protection that a smoke detector brings to your household, there are a few other things you can do to ensure you are minimizing your fire risk as much as you are able.
What is the most cluttered and disorganized room or space in your home? If you immediately think of a hallway, stairwell, or a doorway (shoes, shoes and more shoes), you have created a fire hazard in your own home.
Not only is the excess a tripping hazard in the event that you need to exit your home quickly, but it also adds fuel to a fire if the clutter is flammable.
With the weather ramping up for the sweltering summer months here in Alamo Heights, it is incredibly important to make sure your air conditioning unit is free of blockages and any fire danger. Keep the unit free of piles of old grass clippings or fallen leaves. Inside your home, make sure your venting system is cleaned regularly.
If you are a woodworker, sawdust is highly flammable and a very dangerous thing to leave behind in a shop. Take care to continually wipe down your work area to ensure a safe environment.
While our county is currently in a moderate drought alert, it could quickly turn into a severe or exceptional drought with the right climate conditions.
Since our area is so dry, it is very important to make sure fire restriction rules are being followed and the utmost care is being taken to handle dry brush, grass clippings and any other dry vegetation properly. Don’t let it pile up around your house or block any important venting or air units.
Your yard can also be used to strategically battle fires! By planting trees and other landscaping plants, you can create a barrier between the fire source and your home. This gives your fire crew valuable time to get to you, and it also protects your home.
States like California have actually enforced defensible zone regulations because of their effectiveness time and time again. Especially in years of drought like we are in, it is smart to adopt some of these practices.
Once you have tended to the clutter in your home, simple cleaning tasks come next! Stay on top of your dusting, stove cleaning and chimney inspections to make sure you are giving your home the best defenses in case of a fire.
And a simple dusting every week can make the difference between a minor problem and a major problem.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take a lot of work to help combat house fires on your own. Even the simple act of spot-cleaning throughout your week can make a huge difference.
Our homes do so much for us—they keep us safe and dry and let us relax after long days. Take care of it by adopting some of these ideas into your weekly routine.
If you have experienced fire damage or want to learn more about our fire damage restoration services, contact us today. We’re here to act fast, 24⁄7.