A fire can be devastating not just to the structure of your house, but to your idea of home.
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, 260 home fires begin with Christmas trees each year, resulting in 12 deaths, 24 injuries and $16.4 million in property damage. An additional 150 home fires per year begin with holiday lights and other decorative lighting, causing another 8 deaths, 16 injuries, and $8.9 million in property damage each year.
Suffice to say, home insurance companies are pretty busy during the holiday season as well, and here at Shaefer Insurance we want to ensure that you have some extra information to keep you safe this time of the year.
Many fires can be prevented, however, especially if you are familiar with fire safety. Here are the best fire prevention tips to protect your home:
Keep flammable materials away from your cooking surface
Even if you are an experienced chef, you should still be diligent about keeping flammable objects away from your stove. Anything that could catch fire should be far away from heat.
Stay in the kitchen while things are cooking
Don’t set something on the stove and walk away. This is a perfect recipe for something to boil over and catch fire. You can also keep baking soda handy to smother a grease fire. While that’s separate from typical holiday fires, it’s still somewhat common and an overall best practice.
Always have a lid on hand
You can easily smother a flame with a lid. Fire cannot exist in the absence of oxygen. With the lid on (and the heat off), the fire should quickly consume all the oxygen and put itself out. Use a metal lid since glass will shatter.
Make sure your heating system has been regularly inspected.
Annual inspections will prevent dust and lint from building up in your vent and becoming tinder for any potential sparks. Especially here in South Florida, it’s a good idea to check your system at least once per year, of not more. Many companies in the area offer low cost inspections, like this one.
Keep your yard watered or xeriscape your exterior
If you live in an area where water is abundant, keep your trees and lawn well-watered to prevent them from burning quickly in case of a fire. If you live in a drought area, consider removing dry plants from around the exterior of your home.
Never leave candles burning unattended
A candle can add great ambient light and a great scent to a room, but it can also easily be knocked over by a pet, spilling flame and hot wax onto your carpet.
Install and check your smoke alarms regularly
A smoke alarm can prevent a small fire from becoming a devastating one or can help wake and alert you to a fire that has started while you were asleep or in another part of the house.
