The Best Home Fire Safety Equipment

When it comes to domestic fire safety, it can be difficult to know what’s worth your money and what isn’t. There are numerous fire safety products for commercial environments, but many of those aren’t suitable for homes and the budgets of homeowners – for example, installing a sprinkler system in your home is unfeasible and potentially expensive.

So, in this article, we’re going to look at the best and most effective fire safety equipment for your home. 

Fire and Smoke Alarms

Fully functioning smoke and fire alarms are absolutely essential when it comes to fire safety. Whilst there is no legal obligation to have a fire or smoke alarm in your home, their importance cannot be overstated. Ideally, you should have a smoke alarm in your living room, in each hall and landing, and you should also have one in your kitchen. 

Landlords of private sector rental accommodation are required by law to install smoke alarms on every storey of the property that is used as living accommodation. Carbon monoxide alarms must be installed in every room where solid fuel is used. All alarms must be tested to ensure they’re working before new tenants move in.

A Home Fire Extinguisher

Fire extinguishers are a legal requirement in commercial buildings, but as you’re not obligated to have one in your home, they’re very rarely seen in residences aside from student flats.

However, you can actually purchase a 2kg fire extinguisher for your home, and it can serve as a crucial fire safety tool. These extinguishers are more compact than traditional ones, which makes them easier to store, carry and operate.

Everyone who is able to carry the fire extinguisher in your household should be educated on how to operate it – learn how to use a fire extinguisher in this guide to using fire extinguishers.

It’s important to note that you should only try and extinguish a small fire. If it spreads, evacuate the property and call the fire brigade immediately. 

An Escape Ladder

If a fire breaks out on an upper floor, or if you’re upstairs when a fire breaks out and you can’t get downstairs safely, then you may need to exit through a window.

Jumping from a first, second or even third storey window can be very dangerous, and so an escape ladder can be an invaluable tool for an emergency. A portable ladder stored on the first floor, or each floor above ground, is ideal for helping people safely evacuate from a high floor. 

Fireproof Mailbox

Class A fires – fires involving organic materials like paper and wood – are very common, as almost every building contains these materials in some form or another. A pile of letters can easily set alight – whether accidentally or through criminal activity – but with a fireproof mailbox, this problem is eliminated. 

Fire Blankets

Cooking fires are some of the more common types of fire in homes, and they can cause a great deal of panic, which can lead to serious and even fatal consequences. Part of this panic comes from the fact that many homes don’t have extinguishers in them, and therefore people don’t know how to put these fires out.

With a fire blanket, pan fires and other small fires can be extinguished quickly and safely. Fire blankets can be stored on a wall or on a counter, too – no intrusion on space and ease of access when you need them the most. 

Aspirating Smoke Alarms

We’ve already mentioned smoke alarms in this piece, but one particular type of alarm should be mentioned. Aspirating smoke alarms are able to detect smoke long before it becomes apparent to the naked eye, buying plenty of time for you to locate and extinguish the fire or evacuate the building if necessary. 

There’s no room for shortcuts when it comes to fire safety. To ensure that you’re keeping your building, yourself, and those in your property safe, contact the experts at Fire & Security Group today. From fire alarms to fire extinguishers, we’re here to help you with anything you need.