Home Security and Fire Hazards Around the House

The best part of having home security today is that it does so much more than just deter the bad guys from coming in. Your alarm systems connect to all your smart home devices also, including your smoke detector. In the event that the smoke alarm goes off, then you are notified, along with the fire department. With your monitoring company watching your property 24/7, a quick response time is what you get. This minimizes the damage that could occur. However, even with these safeguards in place, you want to do everything possible to prevent a fire from ever happening in the first place. Let’s take a look around the house and see where potential fire hazards may be hiding.

Kitchen Fireshome security

How many of us get busy and distracted while cooking? Cooking is one of the main sources of a house fire. Cooking food should never be unattended on the stove. Look around your stovetop and remove any flammable materials close by, such as towels, papers, or books, or even blowing curtains. An up-to-date fire extinguisher should always be within easy reach. Never throw water on a grease fire since it will just spread it out. Try to cover the pan with a lid and cut off the oxygen to the flames. As you do your Spring cleaning, include home security items. Update batteries and look over the wiring on your appliances to see that they are not frayed or worn.

Heating the House

The second leading cause of a fire in the house is when you try to heat it up with a space heater. Be sure to clear the area around the heater, especially items like paper, rugs, clothing, and the like. The same goes for fireplaces too, keep flammables away. Remember to turn off the heater when you leave the room so that it is not unattended. The best space heaters are the ones that turn off when they tip over. Similarly, another dangerous item in this category is candles. Although beautiful, warm, and soothing if they are unattended, just one has the power to burn down a whole home. Maintaining your home security includes always using caution with any heat source.

The Garage and Utility Areas

It is important not to let your garage become a storage unit. When this happens, it becomes a fire hazard. Think about the items that you keep in the garage, such as gas for the lawn equipment, weed-killing chemicals, paints, sawdust, etc. All of these flammable items could ignite with the spark from metal tools, frayed wires, or fumes coming in contact with a water heater. The garage is also one place where residents fail to place a smoke detector. If possible, store flammables in a shed or storage area away from the home.

Unusual Fire Threatshome security

We have covered some of the more common fire hazards in the home, but here are a few more that you may not have ever heard about. Do you keep loose batteries in a junk drawer just in case? There have been times where 9V batteries are known to come in contact with metal and spark a fire. Dust bunnies rolling around in a corner become fuel for a fire when they come in contact with a space heater, electrical outlets, or another type of spark. Also, that beautiful glass vase in the window serves as a firestarter when the perfect sunbeam shines through it and lands on something flammable in the home.

Let Home Security Watch for Those Hazards

With many potential hazards around every corner, what can you do to minimize accidental fire risks? One of the best things to do is conduct a home inspection. Look for heat sources and flammables that could come in contact with each other. Have an emergency plan in place within the family in case of an actual fire. At True Protection Home Security, we want to take some of that stress off of you. Our alarm systems contain devices such as cameras and smoke detectors that are monitored 24/7. A simple thing such as keeping fresh batteries in your smoke detector is helpful. Keep your family safe with the home security that covers all areas of your home in protection. Call us today to see what we have to offer your family and home.