Checking Your New Home for Fire Safety Measures | SERVPRO® of Western Dutchess County

7/20/2021 (Permalink)

Fire safety is one of the first things you should check out when you move into a new home!

If you are moving into a new house or an apartment in Dutchess County, there are many things to think about throughout the process. While a home inspection can give you important knowledge regarding general maintenance and structural soundness, once the place officially becomes yours, it is important to do your own inspection to evaluate the fire safety of the home.

Depending on the history of the home, you may need to make improvements before your family moves in so you can be certain that you will be fire-safe from the moment you unlock your new front door. Here are some key things to check for:

Doing a Fire Safety Inspection for Your New Home

`Check the Smoke Detectors

The first thing you will want to check is the smoke detectors in the home, as over ?half of deaths resulting from home fires occur in homes with non-operational smoke alarms?. You will not only want to use the smoke detectors’ “test” feature to make sure they are functional, but you will also want to make sure that enough alarms have been installed throughout the home to keep everyone safe regardless of what room they are in. You should have a smoke detector on every floor, in every sleeping area and near the kitchen at a minimum. Make sure you’re clear on whether the smoke detector should also include a carbon monoxide detector as well. Most are sold as one unit that can detect either hazard.

`Look Around for Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are something that usually gets sold with the house, but it is important to still check them if the previous owners left them behind. While fire extinguishers do not come with a hard expiration date, they do not last forever. You can easily check them by ?inspecting the pressure gauge?—if the needle is in the green part of the gauge, the extinguisher should still be functional. You should also make sure you have the right type of fire extinguisher; while many household models are multipurpose, some are only rated to put out certain types of fires. The kitchen should have fresh extinguishers in place and rated to be used on grease and cooking fires as well as regular. Check the labels carefully when you purchase new ones. Garage areas should include ones that can be used for multipurposes.

Empty the Dryer Vent

Though you are probably in the habit of clearing out your dryer’s lint trap every time you transfer in a load of laundry, inspecting the external vent is also something that should be done when you move in as lint is highly flammable. You can do this by pulling your dryer away from the wall and checking the vent that goes to the outside in order to prevent any debris or clothes lint from catching fire suddenly. If it’s an older home or vent, sometimes birds and small animals can end up making their nests in the vents as well. Have your dryer vent professionally cleaned yearly to avoid issues.

If your home is damaged by any kind fire, we are here to help. ? Contact us 24/7? for a rapid response from our expert technicians. SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County, making it "Like it never even happened," locally since 1992.