When you’re setting up a home security system to protect your family and your greatest investment, sometimes the internal threats go unnoticed. Sure, you want to keep intruders out and everyone safe inside, but remember how each of us can prove to be a threat on any given day. Take fires, for instance. Most fires are caused by residents inside their home and often involve cooking. Thousands are killed and injured by fire every year. You have done the basics with a home alarm system, but here are some ways to protect the family from fires.
- Fire Prevention 101 is the old fashioned smoke detector. The models now are more effective and smarter than the classic one, but the idea is the same. Let everyone know a fire’s begun before it gets out of hand. Not only should smoke detectors be on every floor, they should probably be in or around every couple of rooms. In fact, you can coordinate with your home security company if you want to trigger the home alarm in case of fire.
- Identify and address the big fire-starting threats in your home. Do you use space heaters in places that get a draft in winter? Be careful of these flammable machines. Consider upgrading the insulation to eliminate the drafts, and never use an extension cord with a space heater. In fact, watch out if you have an overburdened power strip anywhere in the house. Try not to use one strip to power more than five machines. They can become overwhelmed.
- When you start to cook a complicated meal, plan your stove time carefully. Most fires in the home start in the kitchen. Don’t go over your head with multiple burners and the oven if you are not a steady hand when it comes to cooking. Map out a strategy and get some help, or help out whoever is working on a meal. For every great chef, there is a sous chef at his or her side.
- Watch the atmospheric fires. Accidental home fires are one thing, but just as potent are the intentionally set fires, like candles or your fireplace. Fireplaces are one of the great treasures of a cozy home, but can prove to be a real threat. Don’t leave any flammable objects nearby. Remember that a fire can shift suddenly and fall of out the fireplace. Keep the screen closed when the fire is going.
- Prepare for Plan B. Sometimes, events can slip out of control. Be ready to act, with fire extinguishers situated in several areas, especially the kitchen. Meanwhile, plan an escape route for the family if you have a home security emergency. Set up a well-known spot outside to get together and work from there.
Fires happen all the time. Follow these steps to keep the family safe and coordinate your smoke detectors. It’s the best possible protection.