6 Items In Your Home You Should Insure
19.03.2016 Home Insurance
On average, as many as 36 Irish lives are lost from fire incidents each year. A majority of these incidents occur in the home so it’s imperative that your home is fully adjusted for fire safety and that you and your family know what to do in the case of an emergency. Here is our guide to fire safety in the home.
Fire safety in the home is broken down into three categories: Prevention, detection, and evacuation.
Nearly every fire that occurs has an identifiable, preventable cause. According to the Department of Housing, “careless attention to or use of cigarettes lighters and matches, smoking, electricity, fireplaces, heaters, candles and cooking equipment are leading causes of fire-death and injury”.
Prevention is the best way to avoid fires occurring in the first place. Good habits, safe practices, being prepared and educated can help your household greatly reduce the risk of fire.
The majority of domestic fires happen at night while people are sleeping. Smoke from a fire will not wake you up - in fact it will cause you to go into an even deeper sleep. It takes just 3 minutes for irreversible damage to occur as a result of smoke inhalation.
Every apartment or flat should be fitted with at least one smoke alarm and an average-sized home should have at least two. The detectors should be mounted in each hallway, landing and room that isn’t your kitchen, bathroom or garage as these rooms’ conditions will cause false alarms.
Smoke alarms are crucial to escaping a fire but without charged batteries or maintenance they are useless.
Set a reminder on your phone calendar to keep track of these checks.
Having a set fire escape plan for when your smoke alarm sounds is so important. Your fire escape routes need to be identified and everyone in your household should be informed on what to do in case of a fire much like you would do in the workplace or school.
Some rooms in the home are more susceptible to fire than others. These rooms need extra vigilance. Some of the golden rules include:
Tip: There are other ways to make your home safer. Check out our articles about Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, if you need a Carbon Monoxide Detector and 10 Important Home Security Tips.
Knowing about fire safety, having an evacuation plan and practicing good prevention habits in your home will help to keep your family safe from fire. Having an effective home insurance policy will protect your home. Learn more about AIG’s home insurance policies and get an online quote today. See what you can save with AIG’s great value home insurance.
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