You likely already know that home maintenance tasks are a vital aspect to keep your home at its best, but some home maintenance goes far beyond simply protecting your largest investment. Fire safety maintenance ensures your safety and the safety of the ones you love. Don’t get caught in a dangerous situation that could have been prevented with a few crucial, but easily accomplished, fire-safety tasks for your home.
Check Your Smoke Detectors
This task is a no-brainer. We all hear numerous reminders to check your smoke detectors monthly. Unfortunately, such an easy and infrequent task is often pushed to the wayside in many households. Don’t set yourself up for an unsafe situation—set a recurring reminder to check your detectors to ensure your household’s safety. Don’t forget, depending on your model, you may have to change your batteries yearly and replace your smoke alarm entirely every ten years.
Replace Your Fire Extinguishers
Having a fire extinguisher can be a lifesaver in the event of a small house fire. However, owners of fire extinguishers can feel a false sense of security; it’s not enough to have a fire extinguisher. You must know how to use it properly and be vigilant about replacing your extinguishers once they have reached their expiration date. Don’t get caught with a faulty safety tool when you need it the most. Be sure to regularly replace your fire extinguishers upon their expiration.
Clean Your Dryer Vents
Dryer vents can be a hazard. Be certain to regularly clean your dryer vents to prevent flammable lint build up. Some signs that your dryer vent could be clogged include:
- Damp clothes after a normal drying cycle.
- Large amounts of lint build-up in the lint trap during each cycle.
- High lint build-up in the lint trap each time you clean it.
- Your clothes come out with a musty or burnt odor after drying.
- Clothes seem unusually hot to the touch.
Clean the dryer lint filter before and after each load of laundry and completely clean any and all lint out of the vent pipe every three months. It may be a good idea to regularly hire a professional to inspect and clean your dryer venting, especially if your vents are long. A professional will be able to save you time and do a better job of cleaning those longer vents.
