Reducing Kelowna Home Fires

Whether it be house fires or wildfires, every year people deal with this destructive natural element. Homes can be completely destroyed by fires, and the cleanup and repairs that are required after the fire can be very costly and a lot of work. However, there are ways in which you can protect your Kelowna home if ever a fire occurs.

Fire alarms and extinguishers

The most obvious and simple way of preventing a large fire from occurring within your home is by making sure that there are a sufficient amount of fire alarms installed throughout the property. Checking the alarms and the batteries inside on a regular basis is a very important thing to do in order to catch the fire before it gets out of hand. Another important thing to ensure is having fire extinguishes in convenient places.

Harden the structure and elements of your home

Making sure the frameworks and the materials that are used to build your home contain fire-proof and safe elements is crucial to having the assurance that your home can withstand a fire to some extent. Not only does hardening your home and adding preventative features prepare it for any fire situation, it also adds value if ever you end up selling your home and need an evaluation.
Examples of ways in which you can strengthen your home are:

Windows and vents

Specifically when it comes to wildfires, covering all the vents in your home with a metal mesh is important in keeping out embers from the fire.
The extreme heat that is caused by fires can make windows in the home break and smash. Therefore it is advised that you have dual-paned windows and also windows that aren’t too large, as single-paned and big windows are most likely to break.

Walls

Making sure that the structure and walls of your home are made from non-combustible materials, like wood, is essential in protecting your property during a fire. Using materials like fire retardant and approved wood, fiber cement and wall siding can help protect your home in a massive way.

Roof

Seeing as the roof of a house is one of the most high risk features during a fire, it is very important to assure it’s made from the correct and secure materials such as tile or metal. Common roof materials like asphalt shingle or wood materials are at a higher risk of destruction from any fire, whether it be a wildfire or house fire.

Paint

Another way in which you can protect your home during a fire is by using fire retardant paint on the walls of your property. Many common paints contain flammable ingredients, however you are still able to buy fire resistant paints in order to help protect your home. Seeing as there are a growing number of wildfires happening around the world and that house fires can easily occur, it’s wise to decorate and coat your home, decking and other features with fire retardant paints.

These are just a couple of examples of how to harden and strengthen the framework and features of your home for protection during a fire.

Maintenance of the outside of the home

An additional and important way of protecting your home during a fire is through maintaining the surroundings of your home, in your yard or garden and the immediate vicinity of the property. It’s best to remove junk from the outside of your home and clean up any dry leaves from surrounding trees. Debris and mess can easily catch fire which can then spread directly to your house. Also, if you’re trying to sell your home and are in competition with other homeowners, having a well maintained property is essential to success.

These are just a few of the ways in which you can protect your home during any sort of fire. Thorough research on other ways you can implement more safety measures is important to having a fully fire protected home.