Safety in Your Home: How to Protect Your Family

Even though it’s summertime and you’re beginning to cool down your home,
fires are still a risk. Like every other time of year,
it’s important to be up-to-date on how
to safely keep your home protected when it comes to fire.
At Connect Building Services, we want you to
know about all the tools and devices you should have to protect
yourself and what you should know in order
to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Below is a list of three things you need and why you need them to keep your home safe.

SMOKE DETECTORS

• Why you need one – Smoke alarms quickly detect smoke particles from fast flaming fires that give off little smoke.
• How many do you need – This all depends on the size of your house. At the minimum, it is good to have one smoke alarm on each level of your house. If you have a multi-level house, you should have one at the top of the stairs, in the kitchen, and in the living room.
• Where should it be placed – A good place for a smoke detector is either on the ceiling or on the wall about a foot from the ceiling. Smoke tends to seek a higher level first, which gives you early detection.
• When should it be replaced – You should replace the battery in your smoke alarm every time it’s daylight savings time. On top of replacing the battery, you should check it every so often to make sure the battery doesn’t die. Each smoke alarm comes with a test button. If the alarm doesn’t go off when you press it, it may be time to change the batteries.

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

• Why you need one – These are great for putting out small fires, but it’s not for every fire. Sometimes fires can get to a degree where it is actually dangerous to use an extinguisher. Fire extinguishers are meant for small, localized fires, like a stove. Use them wisely.
• How many do you need – You’ll want a fire extinguisher in every location around your house where a fire may occur.
• Where should it be placed – Place one in your garage for flammable liquids and in your kitchens for local fires.
• When should it be replaced – If you use the fire extinguisher, you should replace it. If you don’t have a fire, you should read the manufacturer’s guide on when to replace it.

CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS

• Why you need one – Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and deadly gas that can emit from space heaters, leaking chimneys, furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces and gas stoves. Since it’s impossible to detect this gas on your own, it’s vital to have at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home.
• How many do you need – This really depends on yourself. However, you should have one near an area of heating and hot water heaters.
• Where should it be placed – Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed on the wall or ceiling near the appliance that could be emitting carbon monoxide. It is also a good idea to keep them in hallways near bedrooms.
• When should it be replaced – With carbon monoxide detectors, you should use the same rule as smoke alarms, which is every daylight savings time. As with smoke alarms, test these detectors every month to make sure they’re in working order.

Managing and replacing these three devices will keep your home safe and protect your family. Remember to keep your detectors updated so they are able to alert you when danger comes. This will save lives in the long run.