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Preventing Home Fires Starts With You | SERVPRO® of Rapid City
6/7/2022 (Permalink)
If your home is damaged in a house fire, SERVPRO of Rapid City is here to help. Contact us for any fire restoration need.
With the first few months of 2022 under our belts, the American Red Cross has already responded to more than 20,000 house fires. That number only represents a portion of the house fires that have actually occurred in the United States so far this year.
You can reduce the risk of death and total fire destruction most reliably by having fully functioning smoke detectors in your home. Once you have your smoke detector installed, you can also do a few other things around your home to help minimize the risk of a home fire.
Minimizing the clutter in your home is beneficial not only to the function of your home, but it can also reduce the amount of fuel a home fire can consume. Keeping common areas clear of unnecessary things and excess belongings can help deter a potential home fire from growing more quickly and intensely.
Keep your water heater clear of any piles of clothing or bulky items. Having flammable things in too close of a proximity to your water heater is actually a fire hazard.
Overloaded extension cords also contribute to a large amount of home fires. Rather than keeping all of your appliances and electronics constantly plugged in, plug them in only when they are in use and remove them when you are finished.
Fire hazards can occur outside your home as well. Did you leave any yard debris left over from the fall season?
Spruce needles and other conifer tree needles are highly flammable, so don’t let them pile up in your yard or near any outdoor units like your air conditioner unit. Clear them out seasonally so they don’t pose a fire hazard.
The way in which you plant your trees and landscape around your yard can actually help slow fire growth around your home. Planted strategically, they can create barriers between the fire and your home, giving your local fire department valuable time to get to you before the fire breaches your walls.
States in the West like California have actually imposed defensible zone requirements when landscaping or planting new vegetation because of their proven effectiveness. Even though we don’t live on the coast, we can still adopt some of these practices here in Rapid City.
One of the easiest ways to help in the fight against home fires is to stay on top of your house cleaning. Even a simple, consistent dusting of the commonly forgotten spaces in your home (laundry room, on top of furnaces and water heaters) can be very helpful in reducing the fire risks in your home.
Give your stove and chimney some cleaning attention every season, too! Spaces like these that come into contact with consistent and high heat can be the catalyst for a home fire, so don’t leave it to chance.
The more you do in preventive care, the greater chance you give yourself to ward off a potential fire disaster.
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.