Why Fire Safety Equipment Is Essential in Safeguarding Your Home
While just over one-quarter of fires happen in residences, they are responsible for nearly 8 out of 10 fatalities and injuries linked to fires. Recently this likelihood has increased due to the number of people staying home, working from home, and cooking many more meals at home due to the pandemic. The data from last year is still being compiled and studied, but it is a reasonable expectation that we will see an uptick.
Many fires in the home start with very mundane sources. A large portion of fires begins from home heating appliances, which are used more often during winter lockdowns and stay-at-home orders. About ten percent are also due to electrical and lighting sources. Fires from smoking and intentional causes make up another fifteen percent or so. This makes it incredibly likely to be hurt or even killed during even small fires in the home.
What Types of Equipment Can Be Used For Fire Safety?
There is a wide variety of fire safety equipment that can be used in safeguarding the home. Some equipment can be used to help prevent fires, some can be used to detect and notify people of the fire, and there is equipment for fire suppression.
Carbon monoxide alarms can be used to alert if a furnace or other gas-burning appliance is operating incorrectly and releasing dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide. Too much carbon monoxide can result in fatigue, flu-like symptoms, and death. Smoke detectors on walls, ceilings, and in ducts can issue early alerts to residents when there is a fire condition that has been detected.
Fire extinguishers are vital in fire safety because they are an easily-accessible type of active fire safety. If you are around when a fire breaks out, you have a critical window to utilize fire extinguishing chemicals to put out the fire before it spreads out of control.
In most situations, the most likely course of action will be to escape as quickly and efficiently as possible. This is often done through rehearsed family or household escape plans. These plans can also feature fire escape ladders in many cases. These ladders can be quickly dropped from windows above the first floor, to use in case the exits are blocked by fire.
Benefits of Using Fire Safety Equipment
When you leverage fire safety equipment to protect your home, you can gain a number of benefits. Some of these benefits are monetary and can be measured by your budget. Some of the benefits are far more valuable than any currency. Using fire safety equipment properly for the safety of your home can help protect your family from the dangers of fires in the home.
By using effective fire prevention measures, such as physical fire prevention as well as fire safety behaviors, you can give your home its best chance at avoiding a potential fire situation entirely. This can reduce the chances of a fire breaking out significantly. Many fires in the home are started by faulty equipment and dangerous habits or behaviors.
By using effective smoke and fire detection equipment, if a fire were to break out and to progress to the point of becoming a danger to your home, the detection equipment should give you enough warning to make it to safety. Conventional smoke detectors outside each bedroom, on each floor of the home, and near major appliances are a good start.
Many people are choosing to use duct smoke detectors as well, in combination with home automation systems, to give an even larger amount of warning if a fire condition is detected. These units sample the air in your ventilation ductwork, and can automatically shut down heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment and appliances in the event that smoke is detected. These detectors can also be configured to close ventilation dampers and stop smoke from spreading, endangering the escape of other residents.
There are many different fire suppression systems that can be used to stop a fire in its tracks in many situations. The most common method, the conventional fire extinguisher should be in every home, since they are so effective and so simple to use. They can be used to stop fires of several different types and can be used by nearly anyone.
Why You Need to Use Fire Safety Equipment Along With a Home Security Device to Ensure Your Home is Well Protected
The most effective form of fire safety is to use fire safety equipment alongside a professionally installed and set up home security device or system. This will not only allow you easy visibility into your home’s fire safety conditions and alarm status, but it will allow more automated responses to your home’s fire needs.
When you combine fire safety equipment with a home security device, in many cases you can have your security provider monitor that fire safety equipment in case you are sleeping, away, or even just out of earshot of your audible alarms. When alarms are triggered, home security devices can often allow fire protection personnel to be dispatched with no user or homeowner intervention required.
Companies That Couple Well With Fire Safety Equipment
If you are thinking of coupling your fire safety equipment with your home security equipment, you should weigh the pros and cons of the various security companies that are able to provide monitoring. While many large companies offer monitoring, as well as fire safety equipment integration, there are few that can provide the service, pricing, and reliability that smaller, and more customer-focused companies can provide.
There are family-owned security companies out there that are still able to provide legendary customer service and satisfaction all across major Texas markets while keeping their prices so consistent, they haven’t changed in more than 40 years. They will work with you to help you integrate your new equipment with your old, upgrade key parts of your system, or even design and install an entire system from the ground up. All with no contracts.
If you are ready to invest in the security of you, your home, and your family the time is now. Reach out to an industry-leading home security services expert to be on the road to a safer home immediately.
