Simple Fire Safety Checks to Do at Home This Season

Most home fires start in ordinary places: the kitchen, a crowded power strip, a dryer vent full of lint. A seasonal safety walk-through only takes a little time and helps you spot problems before they become emergencies.

Test every smoke alarm

Press the test button on each alarm and make sure everyone in the house can hear it, including from bedrooms with the doors closed. Replace batteries as needed and replace alarms that have reached the end of their service life, which is printed on the back.

Check your extinguishers

Keep a multipurpose extinguisher in the kitchen and near the garage or workshop. Look at the pressure gauge to confirm the needle is in the green zone, check that the pin and seal are in place and make sure everyone knows how to use it.

• Keep extinguishers near an exit, not behind the hazard.
• Store them where children cannot knock them over.
• Replace any extinguisher that has been used, even briefly.

Look closely at cords and outlets

Warm outlets, flickering lights and scorched plugs are warning signs. Avoid chaining power strips together and never run cords under rugs. Ask a licensed electrician to inspect anything that looks or smells wrong.

Clear the dryer vent

Lint build-up is a common and avoidable cause of fires. Clean the lint screen after every load and have the full vent line cleaned out regularly.

Practise your escape plan

Agree on two ways out of every room and a meeting spot outside. Walk through the plan with the whole household, including how to unlock windows and security bars quickly.

Our team can install and test alarms, extinguishers and other safety upgrades for you.