{"id":6752,"date":"2024-09-19T09:16:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T07:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/home-fire-prevention-all-the-crucial-tips\/"},"modified":"2024-09-19T09:16:02","modified_gmt":"2024-09-19T07:16:02","slug":"home-fire-prevention-all-the-crucial-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/home-fire-prevention-all-the-crucial-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Home fire prevention: all the crucial tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Home fires cause a lot of damage and are life-threatening in most situations. Want to prevent house fires? Then read all the crucial tips here.  <\/em><\/p>\n<h2>1. <strong>Stick to your cooking appliances (stove, oven).<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>Causes:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>When grease or oil in a pan overheats, it catches fire.<\/li>\n<li>Accumulated grease in your hood can drip down onto your fire and catch fire.<\/li>\n<li>Pots or pans left on the stove too long overheat and catch fire.<\/li>\n<li>Forgetting your pan on the stove causes overheating in the pan, causing it to catch fire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Tips:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Clean your range hood filters regularly.<\/li>\n<li>Keep an eye on your pan of grease. Overheated fat can ignite very quickly. <\/li>\n<li>Never leave a stove unattended, especially when using oil or grease.<\/li>\n<li>If a flame does develop, never extinguish it with water. Use a lid or fire blanket. <\/li>\n<li>Keep the stove clean. Grease or food particles can catch fire if they come in contact with heat. <\/li>\n<li>Set a timer if you cook something on low heat for long periods of time so that you are reminded to check it.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure there are no flammable items near the stove, such as towels and wooden spoons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>2. <strong>Use your electrical appliances correctly<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>Causes:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Poor quality extension cords or their misuse quickly overheat.<\/li>\n<li>Plugging too many appliances into one outlet will lead to overheating and fires.<\/li>\n<li>Outdated wiring or faulty electrical appliances can cause short circuits, which can catch fire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Tips:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Use extension cords in moderation.<\/li>\n<li>Turn off your electrical appliances during thunderstorms and when you are away for long periods of time.<\/li>\n<li>Do not connect multiple heavy appliances to one extension cord or power strip.<\/li>\n<li>Turn off appliances when not in use. Especially heating or cooking appliances. <\/li>\n<li>Check the wiring of electrical appliances regularly. Replace damaged cables immediately. <\/li>\n<li>Make sure large electrical appliances are installed by a professional. Especially washing machines and dryers. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>3. Charge your electric vehicles safely<\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Causes:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Charging electric vehicles such as cars, scooters and bicycles has a high risk of fire if they overheat, use defective batteries or unsuitable chargers.<\/li>\n<li>Lithium-ion batteries are especially dangerous if damaged or overcharged.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Tips:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Place a smoke detector in the room where you charge your electric vehicle.<\/li>\n<li>Have the charging system checked and\/or inspected by a professional in a timely manner.<\/li>\n<li>Do not leave vehicles charged unattended for long periods of time, especially overnight.<\/li>\n<li>Use only the manufacturer&#8217;s original or recommended charger. Cheap or incorrect chargers are more likely to overheat. <\/li>\n<li>Check cables and batteries regularly for wear or defects. Damaged charging cables or batteries are more likely to cause short circuits and fires. <\/li>\n<li>Make sure the cargo area is well ventilated to prevent heat buildup, especially in garages, sheds, gazebos or other enclosed areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4337\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4337\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-4337\" src=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-controleert-laadinstallatie-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Home fire prevented_ person checks loading facility\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-controleert-laadinstallatie-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-controleert-laadinstallatie-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-controleert-laadinstallatie-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-controleert-laadinstallatie-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-controleert-laadinstallatie.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4337\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Person checks loading facility<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>4. <strong>Beware of (open) fires<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>Causes:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Cigarettes not fully extinguished continue to smolder and cause fires.<\/li>\n<li>Candles placed too close to curtains or other materials cause fires<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Tips:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Never use fire accelerators to light your fireplace.<\/li>\n<li>Never leave candles or open flames unattended, even for a short time.<\/li>\n<li>Do not smoke in bed. Avoid smoking near bedding, couches or other fabrics that can easily catch fire. <\/li>\n<li>Use sturdy candle holders. Always place candles in stable holders and away from flammable materials such as curtains. <\/li>\n<li>Always extinguish cigarettes completely. Always extinguish them completely in an ashtray that tolerates heat. Be sure to always put the ashtray in a safe place and keep it away from flammable materials (such as furniture, dry grass).  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>5. <strong>Get your heaters serviced<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>Causes:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Poorly produced electric fires overheat quickly and catch fire.<\/li>\n<li>Accumulation of soot or tar in chimneys can lead to a chimney fire.<\/li>\n<li>Placing a stove too close to furniture or curtains can cause a fire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Tips:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensure proper ventilation for heating appliances.<\/li>\n<li>Use only EU approved heating devices.<\/li>\n<li>Place electric heaters at least one meter from furniture, curtains and other flammable objects.<\/li>\n<li>Use electrical appliances according to the official manual. Read the instructions before using them. <\/li>\n<li>Do you have a chimney? Have it swept annually by a professional to prevent soot buildup. <\/li>\n<li>If required, have your appliances checked regularly (annually) by a professional. E.g. heat pump, water heater, etc. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>6. <strong>Use fire-safe materials in renovations<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Causes:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Combustible building materials catch fire faster, spread faster and are more difficult to extinguish (even by the fire department). E.g., a thatched roof. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Tips:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>  When renovating your home, invest in fire-safe building materials. These slow the spread of fire and give you extra time to escape in the event of an emergency. Here are some examples of fire-resistant building materials:    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Steel<\/li>\n<li>Concrete<\/li>\n<li>Brick<\/li>\n<li>Toughened glass<\/li>\n<li>Cellular glass<\/li>\n<li>Gypsum (fiber) board<\/li>\n<li>Ceramic tiles<\/li>\n<li>Fire resistant glass<\/li>\n<li>Fire-resistant wood<\/li>\n<li>Fireproof paint<\/li>\n<li>Fire doors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4338\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4338\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-4338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-kiest-bouwmateriaal-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Home fire prevented_ person picks building material\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-kiest-bouwmateriaal-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-kiest-bouwmateriaal-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-kiest-bouwmateriaal-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-kiest-bouwmateriaal-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-persoon-kiest-bouwmateriaal.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4338\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Person chooses building material<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>7. <strong>Store combustibles safely<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Causes:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Flammable liquids quickly catch fire near hot surfaces or objects.<\/li>\n<li>Vapors from these liquids spread easily and explode if they come in contact with a spark, flame or static electricity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Tips:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>  Store flammable products in tightly sealed containers, away from heat sources and in a cool, dry place. Always use these products according to safety regulations. Below are some examples of combustibles:    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Paint<\/li>\n<li>Glue<\/li>\n<li>Gasoline<\/li>\n<li>Engine oil<\/li>\n<li>Hairspray<\/li>\n<li>Deodorant spray<\/li>\n<li>Nail polish remover<\/li>\n<li>Detergent<\/li>\n<li>Alcohol (for cleaning or for drinking)<\/li>\n<li>&#8230;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>8. Provide <strong>fire extinguishers and fire blankets<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>Tips:<\/h3>\n<p>  With fire extinguishers and fire blankets, you can prevent a bigger fire. You can easily extinguish a starting fire yourself thanks to these materials:   <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Place fire extinguishers in high-risk areas such as the kitchen and garage.<\/li>\n<li>In the kitchen, a fire blanket is useful for extinguishing incipient flames (e.g., on the stove).<\/li>\n<li>Teach everyone in the house how to use these materials as well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>How should you use a fire extinguisher?<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Pull out the pin (Pull): Remove the locking pin or seal so that the lever can be pressed.<\/li>\n<li>Aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire (Aim): Aim the hose or nozzle at the point where the fire starts (not at the flames themselves), usually at the base of the fire.<\/li>\n<li>Squeeze the lever: Squeeze the lever to activate the extinguisher and release the extinguishing agent.<\/li>\n<li>Sweep from left to right (Sweep): Sweep the extinguisher jet slowly from left to right across the base of the fire until it is extinguished. Keep extinguishing until you are sure the fire is completely out. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>How should you use a fire blanket?<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Remove the blanket from the package: Grasp the corners of the blanket to unfold it. Make sure your hands are protected by the blanket to protect yourself from the heat. <\/li>\n<li>Cover the fire: Carefully place the blanket over the fire, without throwing, to seal the fire from oxygen. Cover the flames completely. <\/li>\n<li>Leave the blanket: Leave the blanket on the fire until the fire is completely extinguished. Do not lift the blanket too early to prevent re-ignition. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> If someone&#8217;s clothing is on fire, carefully wrap the person in the blanket and make sure to smother the fire. Leave the blanket in place and always call emergency services.   <\/p>\n<h2>9. <strong>Install and maintain smoke detectors properly<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Tips:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>  Most house fires happen at night, making smoke detectors essential to alert you in time:  <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Make sure you hang smoke detectors.<\/li>\n<li>Test smoke detectors every month.<\/li>\n<li>Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors every year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;  This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/verantwoordelijke-brand-huurappartement\/#:~:text=Verplichte%20rookmelders,per%20(studenten)kamer.\">article tells you where to put smoke detectors<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<h2>10. <strong>Make an escape plan and practice it regularly<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>  You have an average of 3 minutes to safely exit your home in the event of a fire.  <\/p>\n<h3>Create a clear escape plan that everyone in your home knows about<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Adjust the escape plan if you have remodeled your house or apartment.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure there are no obstacles on the escape route. E.g. closets, clothing, trash. <\/li>\n<li>Plan escape plans with multiple exits, especially from upstairs.<\/li>\n<li>Divide roles in the escape plan: Who takes your children and pets outside?<\/li>\n<li>Practice the route regularly so everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency. In a fire, every second counts. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Know what to do in case of house fire<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Stay calm.<\/li>\n<li>Warn all your roommates.<\/li>\n<li>Leave your home by the shortest route according to the escape plan.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure your house number is easy for the fire department to see.<\/li>\n<li>If smoke should occur, stay low to the ground<\/li>\n<li>Put your house keys in the same place every time, so you know where they are.<\/li>\n<li>Close all doors and windows behind you as you flee so that toxic smoke is less likely to spread.<\/li>\n<li>Are you at the safe assembly area? Then check that everyone is outside. <\/li>\n<li>Do not call 911 until you are safely outside. State your name, full address and details. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p> <figure id=\"attachment_4339\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4339\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-4339\" src=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-vluchtplan-van-een-gebouw-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Home fire prevention_ escape plan of a building\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-vluchtplan-van-een-gebouw-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-vluchtplan-van-een-gebouw-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-vluchtplan-van-een-gebouw-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-vluchtplan-van-een-gebouw-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Woningbrand-voorkomen_-vluchtplan-van-een-gebouw.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4339\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Flight plan of a building<\/figcaption><\/figure>&nbsp; Sources: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nn.nl\/Wonen\/Hoe-voorkom-je-brand.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nationale Nederlanden<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verisure.be\/nl\/veiligheidsgids\/5-eenvoudige-tips-om-brand-te-voorkomen-in-je-woning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Verisure<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Would you like to cite this article as a source? Then use: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Stiasteny, L. (2024, Sept. 19). Home fire prevention: all the crucial tips. Apartment.be. Accessed on (date XX\/XX\/202X), from https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/woningbrand-voorkomen-dankzij-cruciale-tips   <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/verantwoordelijke-brand-huurappartement\/\">Who is responsible if a fire breaks out in my rental apartment?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/de-woningverzekering-welke-schade-dekt-het\/\">Home insurance: what damage does it cover?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/hoe-voorkom-je-co-vergiftiging\/\">How do you prevent CO poisoning?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Woningbrand voorkomen: alle cruciale tips\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/ext\/embed.html?id=657947826843621323&#038;src=oembed\" height=\"775\" width=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" ><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home fires cause a lot of damage and are life-threatening in most situations. Want to prevent house fires? Then read all the crucial tips here. 1. Stick to your cooking appliances (stove, oven). Causes: When grease or oil in a pan overheats, it catches fire. Accumulated grease in your hood can drip down onto your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":6402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1150],"tags":[1763,1770,1768,1764,1766,1762],"class_list":["post-6752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiration-en","tag-fire-en","tag-fire-apartment","tag-fire-house","tag-house-fire","tag-house-fire-prevention","tag-prevent-fire"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6752\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.appartement.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}