Fire Safety Tips When Purchasing a New Home
When buying a new home, fire safety is probably not the first thing on your mind – and if it is, good for you! More than likely, you’re thinking about the more exciting aspects of moving into a new home, including who’s going to get which room and the large kitchen space with plenty of storage. Having said that, fire safety should be thoroughly observed when moving into a new house. This not only includes making sure that the house doesn’t contain faulty wiring, but establishing a fire escape plan for yourself and your family in the event of an emergency. We’re going to take a look at our top fire safety tips when purchasing a new home, so you can know exactly where you stand when it comes to your family’s safety.
Take Note of All Smoke Alarms and Check the Batteries Regularly
Legally, there must be more than one smoke alarm in your home and this includes laws on exactly where they must be positioned. While it’s not necessary to demand that these smoke alarms are installed before you move into your new house, it’s important to make sure they are purchased and installed as soon as you move in.
FireProtectionBlog.com tells us more on where your smoke alarms must be installed throughout your new home:
“Notice where your home’s smoke alarms are installed and check the batteries after you move in. You should have an alarm on each level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside any sleeping areas (like an upstairs hallway). If you need additional ones, install them as soon as possible. You should also test each alarm’s batteries each month to make sure they’re still working, and always change the batteries immediately if needed.”
Put Together a Fire Escape Plan
You will likely have just minutes to escape in the event of a fire, so it’s important that you establish a fire escape plan with your family. Taking just a few moments of your time to ensure that your family knows what to do in the event of a fire could quite literally save lives.
Fireline explains why putting together a fire escape plan is crucial to your family’s safety:
“If a fire occurs, you might have less than two minutes to get to safety. That is why it is vital for everyone to have an escape plan. Each family member should know of two ways to escape from every single room in your home. Practice the escape plan with your family at least twice a year.”
Check All Wiring
Checking to make sure the wiring isn’t faulty is something that should be established in a home inspection before you buy your home – unless you’re willing to shell out thousands of dollars either way to fix this critical issue.
Trulia.com tells us why you should investigate all wiring before you buy your home:
“According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), about 48% of home electrical fires involve “electrical distribution or lighting equipment.” No doubt, wiring is an important consideration before buying a home. Whether your home is very old, has been recently renovated, or is new construction, it’s never a bad idea to hire a licensed electrician to check all wiring and outlets just to make sure there’s no chance of overload or sparking (preferably before your closing date!). Also check for animal damage outside and around the house — mice and other rodents often chew on electrical insulation. Damaged wires are a fire hazard and need to be replaced.”
Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.