Fire has many household uses and is therefore frequently used by almost all households either to cook or heat, or for other minor uses like lighting cigarettes. Because of the frequency of fire use, no home is immune to fire and that is why every home owner should learn ways in which the risk of fire damage can be reduced and how to prevent fires before they even begin.



The first step in deciding on fireproofing measures is to find out the likely source of a fire. This is determined by the type of gadget a household uses as its source of fire. Some common sources of fire are stoves, ovens, BBQ grills, electric heaters, gas heaters, fireplaces and even small candles - each of which presents a potential hazard and fire damage.

As the kitchen is the place where most fire is used, it is advisable to install a smoke detector just outside the kitchen door to alert you immediately once a fire starts, thereby preventing fire damage to occur. For the kitchen also, a fire extinguisher should be installed and positioned about 10 feet away from the stove. When shopping for a fire extinguisher, make sure the type you buy can extinguish a grease fire and teach everyone in the household how to use it. The cooking equipment - stoves, ovens, broilers and range hoods - should always be kept grease free. If matches are stored in the kitchen, they should be kept away from the cook top and oven, preferably in a metal container.

Overloading electrical outlets inevitably causes fires and subsequent fire damage so you must strictly avoid it. If more outlets are needed for a household's electrical appliances, the wise thing to do is call an electrician to install more.

Curtains, dish towels and pot holders are likely to catch and quickly transmit fire in the house and, to avoid fire damage, you should always keep them away from the stove. The risk of curtains blowing over burners should also never be overlooked.

While working in the kitchen, remember to never leave the stove unattended. In addition, the correct attire is necessary and wearing loose flowing clothing while cooking is highly discouraged to prevent fire damage.

To prevent fire damage outdoors, it is important to consider fire safety in general and particularly plant flammability when planning your landscape. This is so because flammable plants around your home increase fire risk in addition to acting as fuel and contributing to fire intensity. To achieve this, you should plant fire resistant plants. These are plants that are hard to ignite and have therefore a higher capacity to withstand the heat associated with fire. A thing to remember about fire resistant plants is that they are not fireproof and can be damaged by fire - they are simply a good deterrent. Such plants will have supple and moist leaves, high moisture content, low resin content and a thick bark.

Should a fire break out, always remember that water must never be used to try and extinguish a grease fire. Instead, you should use a fire extinguisher.