Fire Damage Prevention

Install/Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

• Test your smoke detectors monthly to ensure they are working properly and replace batteries every year or when they begin to chirp
• Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture
  Source: National Fire Protection Association

Inspect your sprinklers regularly

• Many homes in the Lower Mainland have been equipped with sprinklers. Ensure that your system is inspected regularly according to the National Fire Protection Association standards at www.nfpa.org
• Never hang anything from your sprinklers. This can cause it to accidentally go off

Check your roof

• Clear away overhanging trees and combustible debris such as pine needles that could act as fuel for airborne sparks

Clear clogged link traps in dryers and outside of the home

• These are a major cause of fires when the vents become clogged

Inspect electrical cords

• If the cords feel warm or hot to the touch or are worn, replace them

Replace furnace air filters every three months

• Build-up makes it impossible for air to flow freely and can lead to overheating and burn out

Know where the gas/electrical shut-off valve is located

• When gas reaches a certain concentration in a room or house, the slightest spark can set off a tremendous explosion

Educate young children about the dangers of playing with fire

• lighters/matches/candles