Vacations are supposed to be relaxing and a time for adventure. In order to truly enjoy your time off, why worry about things at home? Gain peace of mind that you’ve taken all the steps necessary to avoid preventable house fires while on vacation.
When planning to be away from home for days or weeks, while on vacation, it’s important to properly prepare to make sure your home is taken care of while away. Fire safety is often the last thing people are thinking about while prepping for a vacation, but it’s vital to ensure that you have a home to come back to, keeping your belongings and loved ones safe while away.
Here are some simple and easy tips to help avoid a house fire while on vacation:
Time to Disconnect
To prepare for an upcoming vacation, it’s important to unplug key appliances as these can pose a fire safety risk while away. In fact, about one in 10 home fires are caused by appliances and electrical malfunctions, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Don’t be another statistic. Taking the time to unplug appliances, like televisions, chargers, computers and air conditioners, can go a long way in not only preventing home fires while on vacation, but also lowering your electrical bill.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working. Batteries should be replaced annually. The entire smoke detector should be replaced every 10 years, while carbon monoxide detectors should be replaced every 7.
Tap Technology
New innovative technology allows you to remain vigilant even while on vacation. Consider investing in alarm monitors, which plug into a home electrical outlet and can alert you if a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm goes off. The cool thing about these at-home monitors is that it can actually alert you via an app, email or text message in case of an emergency. The app also makes taking action easier, allowing you to call 911 or contact someone you know.
Make Sure Your Home Doesn’t Look Vacant
Even though you may be away for some time while on vacation, strangers do not need to know that. Avoid your home being a target of suspicious fires as these tend to spike in summer months. By making your home look occupied while away, it helps to ensure your home doesn’t stand out. Consider temporally suspending mail and deliveries and putting a light on a timer inside the home to ensure your home doesn’t look vacant.
For more fire safety tips and other fire prevention information, visit Rich Fire.
