Houses have fires, usually by accident. However, a major occurrence of house fires can be directly tied back to heating equipment. Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires in the United States, and there is a reason to explain this. Space heaters are usually the culprit in a house fire caused by heating equipment. This is why it is important that if you use a space heater, there are precautions that you should take in order to prevent the fires from happening. In addition to this ensuring that you have the proper homeowner or renters insurance can help you better protect your belongings.
Safety is always priority number 1. This is why it is important to follow these tips:
1. Be sure that you read the manufacturers instructions thoroughly for any specific instructions before use.
2. Unattended space heaters may lead to disaster. If you leave the room it is in, turns it off before you do so. Be sure to keep it out of the way of any children or animals, as they may bump it or knock it over without meaning to.
3. Before each use, check the cable, and plug for any fraying, and loose plugs. Failure to do this has a major potential for starting a fire.
4. Place the space heater at least 3 feet away from anything that has the potential to burn.
5. Keep heaters on surfaces which are level. Also, do not place them on any furniture, or carpeting. These can overheat and burn.
These are some of the tips which you should follow in order to reduce your risk of fire occurring in your home. However, we can also recommend you test your smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors. These are the best way of detecting an issue within your home and won’t hesitate to let you know if there is a problem! It is recommended that you test these detectors monthly, and to test everytime the batteries get replaced. To see if your home or apartment is properly protected contact our experts online or by calling (512) 445-5555 to discuss insurance options with our team today!