Indoor & Outdoor Fire Safety Spring Cleaning Tips
With warmer winter around the corner for California residents, many may find themselves planning for spring cleaning. As you perform your routine home cleaning and clearing out, it’s an excellent time to consider fire safety. With these simple tips from Foothill Fire Protection, you can help reduce the fire risk in your home to ensure that you and your family have a safe spring and summer season.
Indoor Fire Safety & Protection
While most of us may associate indoor spring cleaning with scrubbing baseboards and mopping floors, it’s important to consider how to prevent a fire in your home. Dust, debris, and dirt can all build up and become highly combustible, so cleaning surfaces and vacuuming is essential. In addition, add the following tasks to your spring to-do list:
Check Your Smoke Detectors
Your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors can alert you to danger in your home. Spring is the perfect time to test them to ensure they work properly. Make sure to replace batteries and replace any devices that show corrosion in the battery compartment.
Clean Your Dryer Vent
A clogged dryer vent does more than increase the time and energy needed to dry a load of clothes. Accumulated lint is highly combustible and can easily cause a fire. Take the time to ensure that the air exhaust vent pipe is clear and that the outdoor vent flap can open when the dryer is in use.
Inspect Your Chimney
While it’s tempting to close your fireplace for the season until the return of fall, spring is an excellent time for annual inspection and cleaning of your chimney. At this time of year, you’ll find it easy to make an appointment, and rest assured that your fireplace is clean and safe.
Outdoor Fire Safety & Protection
Once your indoor living spaces are free from fire hazards, it’s time to look outdoors! Improper maintenance of your landscape and outdoor living spaces can result in fires that spread quickly to your home and the surrounding areas. Ensure that you’re safe with these tips:
Properly Store Gasoline
If you have gasoline for motor fuel, ensure it is stored safely. Gasoline should only be stored in containers sold for this purpose and should never be brought indoors. Instead, store in a detached garage or shed and always ensure that the container is tightly capped after each use.
Inspect Your Grill
With more than 8,900 home fires caused by grilling each year, it’s critical that you properly prepare your grill for the season. This includes inspecting it thoroughly for rust or worn parts, cleaning any accumulated grease and debris, and checking propane tanks for leaks. When cooking outdoors, ensure your grill is at least 10 feet away from your home and is in a clear area away from debris and flammable materials.
Clean Growth and Debris Around Your Yard
To prevent severe overgrowth that can be a major fire hazard, take advantage of the beautiful weather and get outdoors. Check that your bushes and trees are just a short distance from your home to create a defensible space between you and a potential fire source. Remove dead trees and vegetation that are highly flammable.
Why Choose Foothill Fire Protection?
When you need exceptional fire protection services, trust the professionals at Foothill Fire Protection. We’re passionate about safety and committed to the communities we serve. With comprehensive fire protection services and 24/7 emergency repair service for fire protection equipment you can have the peace of mind that Foothill Fire Protection is here to ensure the safety of your property and your family.
To schedule superior fire protection services in the Bay Area and Northern California, call Foothill Fire Protection today at (916) 663-3582!
