Renovating your home is a surefire way to increase its market value. It can also improve the living conditions of the residents of the home, a.k.a you and your family. For small-scale renovations, homeowners usually prefer to do it by themselves. They research and watch tutorial videos to prepare for the tasks ahead. For big renovations, though, hiring contractors might be a better idea to make sure that there are no mistakes made. After all, it is the value of your home that decreases after a botched renovation. Worse is when an accident occurs, like a fire, while construction is being done in your home. According to statistics, 27% of fires reported are home fires. In the past five years, there have also been an average of 354,400 home structure fires alone. This data is so concerning so it is a good idea to practice fire safety at home, especially while renovating.
That said, here are some fire safety tips to remember and practice during a home renovation project:
Always Have a Fire Extinguisher Present in the Area of Construction
It is always a safety precaution to have a fire extinguisher handy and near the working or renovation area while construction is ongoing. Because the construction area is prone to fire accidents, a handy fire extinguisher can immediately disperse the fire and lessen the damage. You can buy different kinds of fire extinguishers at Firechief Global, and the fire extinguisher that you should place in your renovation area should be the multi-purpose or ABC fire extinguisher, which is 10 lbs. or bigger.
No Smoking
When in the construction area of your home while renovation is going on, smoking should never be allowed because there are many highly flammable materials that are just lying around. For instance, sawdust, paint thinner, cardboard containers, and other flammable items are all scattered around the renovation site. Smoking in the area makes it very dangerous since cigarette butts that are not properly put out can spark a fire in your home. Allowing smoking in the construction area elevates the risk of fires, and that should never be allowed.
Clean the Construction Area after Each Working Day
After each working day, workers must practice cleaning the construction area of debris that are highly flammable. Cardboard boxes that will not be used anymore should be thrown in the garbage. Sawdust residue must be swept from the floor, and other small wood pieces that won’t be of use must also be gathered and disposed of. Highly flammable liquids must be stored properly and away from the home itself when the working day is over. Never leave the construction area in a mess because accidents might happen while there are no people around.
Hire a Professional Electrician as Part of the Team
House fires from faulty electrical wiring are common. So when renovating your home, make sure that a professional electrician is part of the team to take care of the wiring during the construction. Upon completion of the construction, the professional electrician should also check if the wiring are installed properly to prevent home fires.
Make Sure that Fire Alarms Are Working
There are people who will advise you to turn off fire and burglary alarms during construction because these alarms might be falsely triggered in the middle of construction. However, the best thing to do is to cover the sensors of the alarms with a plastic cover during the construction, and make sure that they are activated again after the work day. Fire alarms and smoke detectors are very helpful in informing the residents if a fire occurs so they can evacuate the premises and immediately ask for help to prevent further damage. So, make sure that your fire alarms are working by checking it every six months.
Make Sure Contractors Have Insurance
Insurance is of great help in covering damage expenses in case of home fires. During renovation, make sure that the contractors and subcontractors you hire have a certificate of liability to ensure that they have adequate insurance. Homeowners should also consider having insurance when they are renovating their homes. Get in touch with your broker to inquire about an insurance policy that will cover your home and insurable valuables during the course of the renovation just to be sure.
Conclusion
Although your home is more prone to fires during renovations, there are steps that you can take to make sure that your house will be safe. Apart from practicing the safety tips mentioned above, it will also help that you hire professional contractors who know what they are doing. This way, you can be assured of a high-quality renovation, as well as a home that is not prone to fires.
