10 Ways to fire-proof your home

In 2023 alone, there were over 2,537 fire-related distress calls in Lagos state, with 82 casualties and over N25 billion in property lost.

This is up from 1,195 distress calls, 76 fatalities and N11.95billion in properties lost in 2021 (Source: Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.)

While helpful, the data does not reflect the total number of fire incidents in the state since many remain unreported.

Of the above number, a notable percentage occurred in homes and residential buildings, most of which originated from electrical issues, including:

• Voltage fluctuations,
• Faulty wires
• Overloaded extension cords and sockets
• And bad connections

Globally, fire outbreaks in homes and residential buildings have also been on the rise.

According to the American Red Cross home fires are the biggest disaster threat in the US. Other reports show an 8% increase in home fires from 2012 to 2021(Wink, 2023).

How to fireproof your home

For many of us, our homes are a place of comfort and convenience. But it should also be a place of safety and security.

It is important to note that maintaining a fireproof home is not one person’s responsibility, neither is it a 100% possibility. It is a collective responsibility of everyone in the home, and this mitigates the possibility of a fire incident.

You can incorporate various measures to safeguard your home. Below are 10 ways to protect lives and property at home.

10 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM A FIRE:

1. Service your electrical appliances and equipment

One of the most important things you can do to prevent fire outbreaks or other accidents in your home (such as electric shocks), is to create and maintain a schedule for servicing your electrical equipment and devices including your air conditioners, refrigeration systems, ovens, cookers, generators, distribution boards, and circuit breakers, amongst others.

This reduces the risk of malfunctions, and you can address any issues before they escalate.

2. Install Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors are an important fire detection device.

They act as an initial signal in the event of a fire. They are a means to catch a potential fire before it escalates. We believe smoke detectors are one of the most important fire safety equipment, they are the “unsung heroes” of fire safety.

3. Use a voltage regulator for high-hazard devices.

In a country where current fluctuations remain a daily occurrence, having some form of voltage regulation is not just a nice to have but mandatory in most instances, to mitigate the possibility of high current passing through the outlets and damaging or enflaming the device.

Using a voltage regulator for high-hazard devices like your air conditioners, freezers, and televisions will help reduce the incidence of electric sparks and fire incidents.

4. Use a kitchen timer when cooking.

Did you know that kitchen fires are some of the most common types of fires in homes?

The risk of a fire is further increased during cooking.

A kitchen timer is a simple device utilised during cooking to ensure continuous checks and to avoid a kitchen fire.

5. Install fire extinguishers in high-risk areas.

Fire extinguishers are key firefighting equipment which come in types and sizes. Common fire extinguishers are:

• fire blanket (suitable in kitchens)
• Fireballs
• Fire extinguisher cylinders
• Fire hose

We also recommend automatic options for high-risk areas such as inverter rooms, by the distribution boards and air conditioners. The fire extinguisher balls are a good idea in these spaces.

6. Invest in Fire Doors.

Did you know that fire can spread quickly through the home, engulfing rooms in minutes?

Investing in a fire door and keeping it closed can help hold back smoke, heat and flames for up to 30 to 60 minutes depending on the type and quality of the fire door. This provides crucial minutes for you and your loved ones to evacuate safely.

7. Maintain Good Housekeeping.

Good housekeeping is a health and safety term that refers to the activities and processes implemented to reduce the risk of an accident or injury. Here are a few acts to mitigate fire risks:

• Create an effective cleaning and dust collection system.
• Keep your home clutter-free, particularly the hallways and entry(exit) points of the home.
• Improve ventilation – open windows or air conditioning, use an extractor while cooking etc.
• Turn off items that are not in use.
• Check the gas cylinder and ensure there is no gas leakage. Check cylinder expiry date.
• Keep combustible storage to a minimum and away from ignition sources.
• Keep doors closed.
• Invest in high-quality electrical items.

8. Avoid careless handling of ignition points.

Keep ignition points and other combustible/flammable items out of reach of children and minors.

9. Get training on Fire Safety and First Aid.

It is one thing to have the right tools but quite another to know how they work. Fire safety training is an important ingredient in fire prevention. It is integral to helping the resident in the home to implement the above fire prevention measures to protect life and property – thereby limiting the associated costs of fire outbreaks.

10. Create a system for shutting down at the end of the day or before you leave the house.

Do you have a process you go through before you go to bed or leave the house? Are other members of your home aware of this process? Creating a system can include writing out a checklist of things to check before bed or before leaving the house.

This can be placed in a conspicuous part of your home – such as the kitchen or hallway.

In Conclusion

Learning how to make your home fire-safe remains a key task for every homeowner.

Other factors that make a home more fire resistant include the materials used to build it – the use of stones, fire retardant paint, metals etc.

Nonetheless, a focus on preventive measures is an effective way to mitigate fire risks as prevention is always cheaper and less disruptive than reactive (after-the-fact) measures.