Five Steps for Extinguishing Fires in Your Home
Are you concerned about the fire hazards, like power cords, unsafe cooking appliances, and faulty wiring, that could end up causing a fire in your home? Homeowners need to be worried about not only the security of their home, but also the safety. Fires caused from electrical appliances are some of the most common reasons that homeowners file property claims in Orlando. When you suffer from a fire in your home, these are a few of the steps that you will want to take to extinguish the fire and mitigate further damages.
Turn off Your Electricity
Before you start to do any work to put out your fires, you first want to disconnect, unplug, and turn off all your electricity. Failing to do this first can result in electrocution, which can cause severe or even fatal injuries. Any time you smell smoke or notice sparks near your electrical outlets, turn off the power at the source before you mitigate the damages.
Keep a Fire Extinguisher at Home
Many homeowners fail to have the right electrical equipment on hand. One of the first things that every homeowner should purchase is a fire extinguisher. Keep the fire extinguisher near areas in your home that are used most frequently, like your bathroom or kitchen. Also, it is helpful to understand how to use the fire extinguisher in case of a fire. The last thing you want to do is struggle to work the extinguisher when a fire is blazing in your home.
Use Baking Soda on Small Fires
If you do not have a fire extinguisher in your home, you can put out small fires by using baking soda. Dump some baking soda directly over any power cords, electrical outlets, or small fires that are showing issues, like sparks or smoke. This will prevent the fire from spreading by putting it out quickly and safely. Once a fire has spread, you will want to use other strategies.
Use a Heavy Blanket to Deprive the Fire of Oxygen
To prevent your electrical fire from spreading throughout your home, you can smother the fire with a heavy blanket. Depriving a fire of its oxygen is critical in stopping the fire. Be sure that the blanket is large and heavy enough to cover all the flames for this to work.
Get Your Family Out of the House
When you cannot put the fire out completely, you will want to get yourself and your family out of the home. Go to a safe location that is far enough away from your home, or even at a neighbor’s house, and call for help. Fires can spread quickly, and you want to protect your family from the devastating effects that it can cause on your life by simply leaving it behind and calling the fire department.
These are a few important steps that you need to take in order to prevent further fire damages or injuries from fires in your home. In the event of a fire in your home, you will want to have a strong insurance policy to protect your belongings and investment. Contact our insurance claims adjusters when you need to file property claims in Orlando to hear how we can help you through the process today.
