October is National Fire Prevention Month and the perfect time to do more than just test your smoke alarm batteries — it’s also a great reminder to inspect anything in your home that could pose a fire risk if not used or maintained properly. Take this opportunity to sit down with your family and review your emergency fire escape plan.
Not sure where to begin? Start with these simple tips:
Keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach in your kitchen. If you don’t have one, be sure to purchase one. If you already do, have it inspected to ensure it’s still in proper working condition.
Smoke alarms are essential for every home. Older models can be overly sensitive, often going off during cooking — which may lead to removing the battery and forgetting to replace it. Newer models often include a temporary sensitivity button to reduce false alarms while cooking, automatically resetting after a short time.
If your home has more than one story, keep a fire escape ladder near an easily accessible window on the upper floor. SafeWise.com offers a helpful guide with top-rated ladder options and tips on how to choose the best one for your home’s layout and needs.
Avoid overloading electrical outlets, and use extension cords only as a short-term solution. If you find yourself constantly needing more outlets, hire a licensed electrician to install them. The cost is minimal compared to the potential damage of an electrical fire.
Call a licensed electrician if you notice warning signs like sparking outlets, flickering lights, or frequently tripped circuit breakers. These could indicate serious electrical issues that need immediate attention.
After every load, clean the lint screen in your dryer, and regularly clear lint from the vent and the back of the dryer to prevent buildup.
Have your chimneys and furnaces inspected and cleaned before use to ensure they’re safe and functioning properly. If you use a wood-burning fireplace, check that the screen protector is intact and use only a flame-resistant rug in front of the hearth.
While rare, lightning can ignite house fires. Lightning rods might seem old-fashioned, but they effectively redirect lightning to prevent fires and protect your electronics from damage.
Most importantly, every family needs a fire escape plan that everyone knows well. To help you create and practice your own plan, check out the National Fire Protection Association’s page, which offers free printable tools and step-by-step guidelines. Remember, investing time in planning and practicing your fire escape plan is invaluable when it comes to keeping your home and loved ones safe.
Final Thought: Fire prevention is a shared responsibility that starts with awareness and preparation. Taking small, consistent steps today can make all the difference in protecting your home and family tomorrow. Stay safe, stay prepared, and make fire prevention a priority every day.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
It’s the time of year to check not only your battery-operated smoke alarm, but anything you have in your home that could start a fire if not properly used and maintained. This is also the time to talk with your family about your emergency plan in case of a fire. These tips will get you started:
Every kitchen should have an easily-accessed fire extinguisher. If you don’t have one, purchase one, and if your old one hasn’t been serviced recently, call an official inspector to make sure yours is in good working order.
Smoke alarms are a must! Older smoke detectors can be sensitive and go off while someone is cooking, and we inadvertently disconnect the battery to stop that, and forget to reconnect them. More recently-produced types have a sensitivity button that can reduce that problem for a set period of time and return to normal after the time is up.
Homes with more than one story should have an escape ladder close to an easily-accessed window on the upper floor. Safewise.com has a list of their best-rated ladders, and offers tips for choosing the right ladder for your home.
Don’t overload electrical outlets, and use extension cords only on a temporary basis. If you need more outlets, call an electrician to install them. The cost of this greatly outweighs the cost of a fire.
A visit from an electrician is also warranted if you have outlets that spark when you use them, lights that flicker, or a circuit breaker that trips regularly.
Clean your dryer’s lint screen after each load, and keep the vent and back of the dryer clean from lint build-up.
Have chimneys and furnaces checked out before you use them to make sure they’re clean and in good working order. If you use a wood fireplace, make sure the screen protector has no holes, and use only a flame-retardant rug in front of the hearth.
While cooking, don’t leave the kitchen, and even though your children may like to help, have their station set up far from any hot items. Keep towels and paper products away from anything hot, and don’t leave cooking oil unattended.
Although it isn’t very common, lightning can cause a house fire. Lightning rods may seem like an outdated tool, but they are not only helpful for redirecting lightning and prohibiting a fire, they can save your electronics from lightning damage.
Most importantly, you need a family fire plan, and everyone should be familiar with this plan. For tips and a guideline to setting up your own fire escape plan, consult this page from the National Fire Protection Association, where you can find free printable tools to make your planning process go smoothly. No amount of time taken to put a plan into place and practice is too much when it comes to protecting your home and family from a fire.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
