Five best tips to make your home fireproof 20^th November 2021

The mornings are lazier, and the showers are a little hotter. Hoodies are out of the cupboard; winters are here! While we are desperately seeking to warm ourselves and our houses to a more comfortable temperature, it is important that we first ensure fire safety in our homes. While it's not necessary that fires only happen during the winters, even a BBQ in the warmer months can cause an outbreak. Therefore, you must be prepared for such incidents if they may arise.

Every year, people lose their lives as a consequence of house fire incidents. However, if you plan fire safety measures correctly and safeguard your house, you can prevent a deadly fire from breaking out at your home.

Check this fire safety instruction guide that will help you be on your marks if things go south.

1. Keep multi-use fire extinguishers at important places of your house:
Place fire extinguishers near the areas of your home which have a high probability of catching fire, such as the kitchen, utility area, prayer room, and laundry area. Purchase only the ISI-certified product. Make sure you're familiar with the operating of the extinguisher.

2. Install and maintain smoke detectors at your residence:
Install smoke alarms/detectors in each room. Preferably, use a hard-connected system so that the signal is audible throughout all the rooms. Consider a professionally installed fire alarm system for an even higher level of security. If you use battery-powered smoke alarms, make sure to check the batteries regularly and replace them every six months.

3. Install a fire sprinkler system all over the property:
Installing a fire sprinkler system provides additional fire safety benefits. For big houses, sprinkler systems are often effective when they are operating on automated suppression. Fire sprinklers can safeguard and save all of the property's inhabitants as well as the property itself. They have in built sensors that detect smoke and fire that trigger the water sprinkling process to control fire outbreaks.

4. DO NOT overload switches:
When you overload your power outlets, you significantly increase the chance of an electrical fire in your house. For example, connecting an electric heater to a multi-board or multiplug is dangerous. These heaters consume a lot of energy and, in many situations, can overload the electric circuit, creating an undetected meltdown inside the wire. When left unattended, this can rapidly turn into an ablaze.

5. Look after your practices:
Cooking? Don't leave the gas unattended at any time. People who smoke in the house should be cautious; make sure the burning cherry on your cigarette does not touch anything. Prayer rooms should have proper ventilation, and the ‘diyas’ and incense sticks should have a dedicated place away from anything combustible.

Pro-tip: Have an escape plan ready for the residence. Gather all the family members and share the fire exit plan and an escape route. Examine all available exits and evacuation routes in your home and your apartment. Practice that drill every once in a while to get used to it.

With the winters just around the corner, this is the time when you use room heaters most to keep your home warm. But you might know that room heating is the most common cause of fires. Therefore, it is essential to protect your property from any blaze with all precautions in place. Get in touch with a reliable fire insurance company that will be your guiding hand in unfortunate times. A Fire insurance company will compensate for your loss against unforeseen events like lightning strikes, explosions, or unintentional fire due to short-circuits.

Click HERE to know more about fire insurance plans for your home.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.