Top Tips for Fireproofing Your Home

Home is where the hearth is—and, ideally, where fires don’t start. But according to the National Fire Protection Association, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 365,500 home structure fires in 2015. These fires caused $6.5 billion in direct damage and claimed 2,560 lives.

While you can’t control all the risks that come with home ownership, you can take steps to make your home less fire-prone. Here are some tips:

In the kitchen

• Don’t leave cooking food unattended. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short time, turn off the stove.

• Keep the oven and stovetop clean. A build-up of grease and food can be a fire hazard.

• Keep flammable items like oven mitts, wooden utensils, food wrappers, and towels away from the stove.

• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and keep pot and pan handles turned inward so kids can’t grab them.

In the laundry room

• Don’t leave the house with the washing machine or dryer running.

• Clean the lint trap after every load of laundry. A build-up of lint is a fire hazard.

• Don’t overload the washing machine or dryer.

• Don’t dry clothes that have been soaked in flammable liquids like gasoline.

• Don’t leave the iron on unattended.

In the garage

• Keep the garage door closed.

• Don’t store flammable liquids like gasoline in the house.

• Keep the area around the water heater clear.

• Don’t use extension cords in the garage.

• Don’t leave the car running in the garage.

In the yard

• Keep the area around the grill clean.

• Don’t store flammable liquids like gasoline in the house.

• Don’t use extension cords in the yard.

• Keep fireworks away from the house.

• Don’t burn leaves or trash in the yard.

In general

• Don’t smoke inside the house.

• Keep a fire extinguisher on each level of the house and in the kitchen.

• Create and practice a home fire escape plan.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of the house and outside all sleeping areas. Test them monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year.

• Consider installing sprinklers.

• Keep flammable items like lighters and matches away from kids.

• Don’t use space heaters.

• Don’t overload electrical outlets.

• Don’t leave candles unattended.

• Don’t leave the house with the stove or oven on.

• Don’t leave portable heaters on when you’re not home.

• Don’t use an extension cord with a space heater.

• Don’t use a space heater to dry wet clothing.

• Don’t use an oven to heat the house.

• Don’t use a barbecue grill indoors.

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Top-safety-tips/Home-fire-safety-tips
https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief/home-fires.html