Safety equipment in your home can save lives as well as prevent extensive property damage. Being forewarned of a problem buys you valuable minutes, especially in a fire, to get everyone to safety. It also means the fire department can arrive more swiftly and can stop the blaze from consuming more of your home. Some safety equipment is actually required by law, and following that law is the easiest way to protect your home and family by avoiding potential injuries and home insurance claims.
Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors are the simplest way to protect your family from the dangers of a fire in your home. You may be required by law to have them in your home, but you may not be aware of how many you need and where they should be placed.
Smoke detectors may need to be installed on every floor of your home, and should also be installed in every sleeping area. That means one in every bedroom, plus one on each floor. And if you have a large home, installing extra detectors is a good idea as well.
Makes sure to test your smoke detectors regularly and to change the batteries yearly even if the low battery warning signal does not come on. You don’t want to risk the danger of a smoke detector that doesn’t function when you really need it to.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
While most people are aware that they need to have smoke detectors in their home, they often aren’t aware of how important it is to have carbon monoxide detectors as well. Carbon monoxide is the danger that you may not be aware of until it makes your family sick. You can’t smell it or taste it and there’s no way of knowing if it’s invading your home unless you have detectors installed.
Carbon monoxide comes from a variety of sources including poorly functioning appliances and car exhaust. It is extremely toxic. You should have at least one carbon monoxide detector installed in your home to warn you of a leak that could be seriously harmful to your family. Test the batteries regularly, and change them every year when you change your smoke detector batteries.
Fire Extinguishers
While there is no law that says you have to have fire extinguishers in your home, everyone should have at least one. A fire extinguisher should be readily available in the kitchen as well as in the garage, the two places where fires are most likely to start. Make sure that you know how to use them, and that they are checked regularly for proper function.
A fire extinguisher is the quickest and easiest way to avert disaster when a fire starts suddenly. Take the time to install at least one in a convenient location. Make sure you have the right type of extinguisher for each area of the house, as different types of fires require different extinguishers. Grease fires, for example, are different from electrical fires and need to be approached differently.
Installation of Safety Equipment
Most required home safety equipment can be easily installed on your own. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are easy to install; simply follow the mounting instructions, install new batteries and test them. You can also mount fire extinguishers by yourself, or simply find a good place to store them where you can easily access them.
Having a professional company install all of your safety equipment is also a worthy investment. Professionals can help you to determine where and how to install the detectors for maximum efficiency and can also help you test and mount fire extinguishers in the right locations. They’ll also take the time to help you go over the functions of each item and how to test and change the batteries on the detectors. This guidance can make sure that in the event of an emergency you don’t waste precious seconds trying to figure out how things work. It also makes sure everything is done right from the start, and you can then handle the maintenance on your own.
Using Safety Equipment
It’s important that everyone in the family, especially children, understand the importance of safety equipment and how to use it. Kids should be aware of what they should do in the event that a smoke detector goes off. Be sure to practice with fire drills and help them to understand the seriousness of the situation. If they know what to do and how to get out, then that smoke detector has a better chance of saving their lives.
Safety equipment can only save lives when it’s well taken care of and maintained, and used properly. Take the time to make sure your family is safe.
The Right Home Insurance Protection
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