Fall Fire Safety Tips for Homeowners

Fall is just around the corner and property owners start preparing for the cold season ahead. One very important thing to keep in mind in this endeavor is fire safety. The fall season can bring about fire risks due to household heating, increased dead vegetation and even Halloween. Here are key fall fire safety tips to know.

• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm Batteries – It is best to change the smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries twice a year, preferably when Daylight Savings Time (DST) begins and ends (DST ends in the first week of November in Canada). This ensures the alarms don’t fail when turning the heat on in the home. Smoke alarms should also be tested once a month.
• Heating Devices
  • Property owners should have their HVAC system inspected, cleaned, and serviced by a certified HVAC contractor. Also, the furnace filters must be replaced regularly with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters.
  • Those who use space heaters must ensure there’s at least one metre of space around the devices. Fabrics should not be placed on space heaters to dry, and the heaters must be turned off before going to bed.
  • Property owners who have a fireplace should hire a professional chimney sweep to inspect and clean the chimney. Flammable objects must be kept at least one metre away from the fireplace and a mesh metal screen must be installed around it.
• Halloween Safety – Halloween is a lot about fun and keeping old traditions alive, but Halloween safety must always come first. Decorations should be kept away from open flames and other heat sources, and battery-operated lights should be used instead of candles in jack-o-lanterns. We strongly advise not to use real candles for home decoration, but here are essential candle safety tips for those who do.
• Outdoor Fire Safety – As leaves, twigs and other flammable debris builds up around a property, they should be removed periodically. Also, the trees should be pruned and fuel must be stored outside the home or garage. The roof, gutters, and downspouts must be kept clear of debris, and lawn mowers fuel tanks need to be empty before storing them for winter.
• Fire Escape Plan – Every family needs to create and regularly practice a fire escape plan that includes an escape route for each area of the home and a meeting place outside. They also should practice escaping their home while staying low to avoid breathing in smoke. Practicing escaping through windows using emergency ladders is also important.

The PuroClean team stands ready to provide professional restoration services to any property affected by fire, water or mould damage.

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