Staying safe at home is a top priority whatever time of year it is, but September sees the start of Home Fire Safety Month, and Fire and Rescue Services are taking this extra opportunity to encourage households all over the UK to do some basic health and safety checks at home to reduce the risk of fires.
At the beginning of September the focus is on chimney safety, and the timing is key. If you’ve got an open fire or a log burner at home then you probably haven’t been using it over the summer months, and it’s important that flues and chimneys are maintained well and properly cleaned out. If there’s any build-up of soot or debris then it can increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and chimney fires.
The Fire Service also encourages you to:
- Replace all smoke alarms every 10 years, even if they appear to be in good working order when they’re tested.
- Clean smoke alarms regularly.
- Fit additional smoke alarms in the rooms that are used the most.
- Buy sealed unit alarms so that the batteries can’t be tampered with.
“We want people to think beyond installing a smoke alarm on the landing and in the hallway,” said Home Safety Manager Will Bowen. “People must think about the risks in their own home to ensure they have the right detection in the right places.”
Mr Bowen further added: “Home detection technology has advanced and products with sealed batteries or interlinked systems are available—a home safety plan may give you precious minutes to escape if a fire starts.”
If you’re looking for fire alarms in Bristol, get in touch with us today.