Cost Effective Fire Safety Equipments That You Should Have at Home

Posted on: Jan 3, 2024 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

Cost Effective Fire Safety Equipments That You Should Have at Home

It is hard to predict mishaps and accidents. They are untimely and can cause a considerable amount of damage. Protecting yourself and your home in such occurrences is the primary motive for all homeowners. And particularly against fires. They can easily burn things; the low visibility can make it even more difficult to navigate and escape. There are a few measures that you can take to minimise such risks. These include opting for fire safety equipments, fire insurance and preventive measures.

As a homeowner, you can opt for some cost-effective fire safety equipments which can reduce the risks associated with fire at home. Based on your budget and the level of safety needed, you can use one or more of the following to secure your house.

1. Smoke detectors

Smoke detectors are one of the first lines of defence. Unlike a lot of other fire safety equipment, smoke detectors are preventive in nature and warn you even before the fire spreads. In the case of a fire breakout, the detectors give a warning in the form of alarms. Thus, giving adequate time for you to clear the house or to take adequate measures.

Most of the alarms are set at 85 decibels, thus making them audible even for sound sleepers. Once you do install smoke detectors at home, it is pertinent to test them at regular intervals and maintain the batteries as well. With the click of a button, if the alarm sounds, they are working as expected.

2. Fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are portable fire safety equipments, which can be quite useful in putting out small fires before they turn into something ugly. There are different types of extinguishers available in the market. For home purposes, you can either opt for a foam-based fire extinguisher or a dry powder gas extinguisher. Both are equally capable of providing versatility and effectiveness. It is crucial to install fire extinguishers at places, where they are easy to reach, yet not too far.

3. Home sprinkler system

Home sprinkler systems work well in conjunction with smoke detectors. At times, merely detecting smoke might not be enough. If someone is sleeping in the house and the alarms go off, there are only a few precious moments to escape the house. And this is where a sprinkler system fits in perfectly. The system ensures that the fire is not spread to other rooms or areas of the house from the source.

In a lot of cases, sprinkler systems are the differentiating factor between minor and major incidents. Installing them along with smoke detectors is a much more effective solution to all fire-related problems. A fire insurance policy combined with safety equipment is one of the most effective ways to handle fire at home. It can safeguard you against fire accidents, electrical breakdowns, accidental damages, etc.

4. Carbon monoxide detectors

Carbon monoxide poisoning can be quite devastating and in many cases, life-threatening as well. And it can be particularly dangerous when the occupants of a house are sleeping. Installing carbon monoxide detectors in homes as a part of fire safety equipments can be lifesaving. The small device will alert you if the level of carbon monoxide in the house breaches certain thresholds. These detectors can be a great addition if you have gas appliances or to detect any sort of smoke or fire in the house.

5. Fire proof safe

Every household has documents which are extremely important. These could be your identity cards, property papers, business-related documents or other critical documents. Losing them to fire can be heartbreaking and invoke a lengthy process to get the documents back. A fireproof safe can be a good addition to the family in such cases. Safes usually are graded based on the temperature that they can handle. On average, 600 degrees Celsius is achieved during a fire breakout.

For all the important documents in the house, a safe that can handle up to 1000 degrees Celsius can be a sensible purchase. And not to mention, these would keep your documents safe from theft and burglary attempts as well.

6. Fire retardant paint

Fire retardant paints are gaining popularity over the past few years. It is an effective product that helps in the prevention of the spreading of fire in the house. Such paints can be used in either the basement or in the kitchen, where they can protect things from catching fire, slow down their spread and even weaken the fire.

These additives are usually based on nitrogen or phosphorus compounds, which create an environment near the fire that does not have oxygen. Thus, preventing the spread of the fire. By paying a small amount as a premium, you can opt for the fire insurance policy for added protection and benefits. The plan will also safeguard you from natural calamities.

7. Fire blankets

Fire blankets are simple fire safety equipments that are ideal for kitchen purposes. You can place these towels near the kitchen to put out any sort of kitchen fire or oil-related fire in the kitchen. It is also one of the most cost-effective solutions in the entire list. In the event of a fire, the blanket can be used to wrap around people to put off the fire. The blanket essentially cuts off the air supply, thereby aiding in putting out the fire. They are also ideal for people who have not used fire extinguishers.

8. Fire escape

Homeowners who have a multi-story house or are part of an apartment complex must consider a fire escape ladder. A fire escape ladder will ensure that you can get out of the house when it is on fire. For better protection, it is recommended that you opt for multiple fire escape ladders. While buying make sure that the ladders are long enough for you to escape, based on the number of floors that you have. A two-story escape might not be of a lot of usage when you own a three-story house or apartment.

9. Flood sensors

Flood sensors are another cost-effective solution to protect your home. If there are any water leakages or natural calamities that result in flooding of the house, the sensor will protect it before it becomes big. The alarm will let you know if there is standing water so that you can take adequate measures and protect the contents of the house.

Conclusion

Above is a list of some cost-effective ways of protecting your house against fire and its perils. For maximum protection, you must opt for more than one of the above solutions and club it with a fire insurance policy along with home insurance. Together, these will protect your house and cover for damages after the fire breaks out. Thus, protecting you, your loved ones and even the contents of the house.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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