Staying Safe At Home
Residential fires can happen in any season, for almost any reason. A huge contributor to house fires is large appliances like dryers, microwaves, and heaters.
S.T.O.P. Restoration wants the Albuquerque, NM community to make sure their household appliances are operating correctly so you can stay safe all year long. To make your home safer, here are some tips to avoid appliance fires.
General Appliance Safety
Your home appliances should always be in a dry, level area away from any open water source. This is especially important for appliances in the garage or basement that are often used unattended.
- Always keep flammable materials away from your appliances, even if they’re not hot to the touch.
- For power plugs, use the appropriate two or three-prong cords for their matching outlets.
- Consider investing in extension cords with surge protectors for added safety.
- Finally, make sure all your smoke alarms and extinguishers are fully operational so they can help you in case of an emergency.
Kitchen Safety
The kitchen is often the ignition point for many house fires. Whether you have a gas range or an electric stovetop, both can start a fire quickly. Even a microwave can quickly become a fireball if left running unattended.
- To avoid fires in your kitchen, always make sure your cooking surfaces are supervised and turn off your stove if you need to leave the room.
- Clean and degrease your stove, oven, and other appliances regularly.
- If you smell gas while any appliance is on or off, call an appliance repair expert to diagnose the leak.
- Never insert any flammable or metal containers into a microwave and make sure the interior is always clean before you use it.
Apartment Safety
Apartment fires can often be more devastating than home fires because they can spread quickly and affect multiple tenants.
- If you live in an apartment, be sure you’re familiar with nearby fire extinguishers, fire escapes, and the status of your smoke alarm.
- If any of these tools are blocked or missing, notify your landlord.
- Cooking causes most fires, so be sure to always attend your stove or oven while it’s on.
- Keep your hallways and exits clear so you can find an easy exit path in the event of an emergency.
- And finally, never store gas or propane canisters in your apartment as it poses a risk to both you and those living nearby.
S.T.O.P. Restoration Albuquerque hopes all our clients stay safe this autumn! For more resources about fire safety, or to get the best fire damage restoration 24/7, call us at (505) 892-3112.
