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Home & Garden Articles
Protect Your Building Against Fire Damage
Wed 13 Dec 2006 - 10:05
Protect Your Building Against Fire Damage
By Michael Russell
Buildings are not fireproof. They are usually constructed to endure wind, bad weather, or earthquakes, but not to endure fires and other catastrophes of that kind. Many of the materials used in building a house are highly flammable: think parquet; think wooden frames, dyes and wallpapers. And if you live in a wooden building, "extra care" is not enough! When it comes to home safety, fireproofing is a must. Besides, a fireproofed building gets better insurance quotes and provides that peace of mind we all long for.
Installing smoke and fire alarms is a must for any building. This is not an exclusive requisite for private residences. There are practically no companies around the world without a proper fire alarm system and some even have sophisticated and not so sophisticated fire-extinguishing systems. There's practically no building without a classic fire extinguisher, or at least there shouldn't be. If you don't have a fire extinguisher in place, it's time to purchase one, especially around Christmas when the chances of minor and not so minor fire accidents increase by up to 40 %. This shouldn't come as a surprise if you consider that fir tree sap is highly flammable and the long use of old Christmas tree installations might initiate a fire. Unsupervised candles are also a problem, but fireworks really take the lead in this "burning competition".
While fire-extinguishing systems might protect your building if they function properly, there are other options you should consider..... just in case. For example, installing fire resistant plasterboards in the roof space between the rooms will slow down the spread of the flames, giving you enough time to get out in case of danger. In addition, if you live in an old house you should consider having your electrical circuits checked by a professional electrician. Overloaded circuits often lead to accidents.
Do you have kids? You probably think you know this, but never leave them alone near matches, lighters or any device that might produce fire. For a special reason kids are fascinated by fire and they love to play with matches. Teach them how to use a match and teach them why it's dangerous to play with fire. A good "fire education" might save your property and their lives one day.
You probably hear "don't smoke in bed" as often as you hear "don't drink and drive". This shouldn't surprise you. Smoking in bed is a major cause of fires and fire deaths! Don't take unnecessary risks! Don't do it, saying "it will not happen to me". You never know. if you come home tired from work and you fall asleep with a cigarette in your hand, the "Smoking Kills" warning on the package will become too fast a certainty.
One more piece of advice: in case of major fire accidents (let's hope this will never happen in your case) don't play the hero! Don't stop and try to put out the fire. You should know that inhaling smoke and hot fumes is the major cause of death in such situations, not burning. It's useless to say "don't panic". You will panic, but try to control this panic and rush to the closest neighbor and call the fire department.
Michael Russell
Your Independent Building guide.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
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