As green leaves turn to warm oranges and golden reds and the weather cools, you know that autumn is here. With so many seasonal changes and holidays during the fall season, most of us prepare our homes accordingly but have you thought about the fire safety risks that come with these changes?

Fall is a time for changes and celebrations, so don’t neglect safety when decorating and enjoying the may festivities on the schedule, especially fire safety. To ensure your fall season goes according to plan, here are a few critical fall fire safety tips and information to keep in mind:

Causes of House Fires

House fires are one of the most frightening events that can affect your home. We have compiled a list of house fire causes for you to avoid.

1. Kitchen Mishaps: Cooking is a fun activity that the whole family can enjoy, but it’s also the leading cause of house fires. Never leave your stove unattended and keep flammable objects away from the stove.
2. Candles: A fire can quickly start if you forget to blow out a candle. Ensure you do not leave burning candles unattended and keep them away from flammable objects.
3. Heating Devices: House fires often occur more frequently in the cooler months when people use portable heating devices, such as space heaters. Please do not leave them unattended, as a fire can quickly start and spread.
4. Electrical Equipment: Overload outlets and frayed wires and fire hazards. Be sure to use surge protectors and check your electrical equipment regularly.
5. Fireplaces and Wood Stoves: A tiny spark can grow into an uncontrollable fire if these areas aren’t properly cleaned and maintained. To avoid an accident, sweep your chimney regularly and keep flammable objects away from fireplaces and wood stoves.
6. Smoking: If you smoke, be sure to do so outside. Cigarette ashes and butts can start a fire if not properly extinguished.
7. Chemicals and Gases: Properly store all chemicals and gases. Chemicals and gases, such as propane gas, can combust if stored incorrectly. Check that they are sealed tightly to ensure no smells or fumes escape.

Fall Fire Safety Tips

Now that we have provided some examples of what can cause a house fire, it is essential to know how to prevent these home fires from happening, so you don’t need to call your local fire department. Follow our fire safety tips to safeguard you and your home throughout the fall season.

• Can’t wait to decorate your home and organize scary costumes for Halloween? Remember that Halloween fire safety comes first. Keep decorations and fabrics away from open flames and other heat sources and use battery-operated lights instead of candles in jack-o’-lanterns.
• Thoroughly check and service your heating devices before cranking up the heat. Ensure your central heating system is inspected, cleaned, and serviced by a certified contractor. Check and replace furnace filters with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. Learn more about HVAC maintenance tips here.
• When using space heaters, keep a distance of at least three feet around them. Don’t place fabrics on space heaters to dry, as there is a risk of materials catching fire. Additionally, cords shouldn’t be frayed or damaged, and heaters must be shuts off and unplugged when not in use.
• Change smoke/carbon detector batteries and test smoke alarms often. When Daylight Savings Time begins and ends, changing your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detector batteries is a good idea. This ensures the warnings don’t fail when you turn the heat on in your home. Don’t forget to test the smoke alarms after changing the batteries. Check that all fire extinguishers are in working order when you adjust the clocks each season.
• Clean fireplaces before using them. Inspect and clean your chimney yearly. Consider getting a fireproof hearth mat or pad if don’t already have one. Keep flammable objects at least three feet away from the fireplace and install a mesh metal screen around it. Having fire extinguishers on hand can help put out a fire in seconds.
• Don’t forget about outdoor fire risks! As dried leaves and other flammable debris accumulate around your yard, make it a habit to remove them periodically. Prune trees and rake up excess leaves and twigs.
• Ensure matches and fire-related items are out of reach for young children. Children are naturally curious beings who are likely to grab and play with anything. Not leaving children unsupervised with matches is a fire safety tip that all parents should keep in mind regardless of the season.
• Create a home fire escape plan and practice it regularly. Designate an escape route for each home area and establish a meeting place outside. Practice escaping your home while staying low to avoid breathing in smoke. Every member of the household can benefit from a solid plan. An early warning from working smoke alarms and a thought-out escape plan can save lives when a fire occurs.

As you have read, there are many ways to prevent house fires in the fall season. Following these fire safety tips can help keep your family and home safe while enjoying all the fun and thrills that fall offers.

After the Fire Department, Call PuroClean for Your Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Needs.

Whether your home suffers damage from fire, smoke, water, or mold, PuroClean provided a prompt response time and puts the latest restoration technology to work, saving your home. Once your family is safe and the fire department has extinguished the flames, it’s time to contact PuroClean. Our experts will work with you and your insurance agency during the restoration service to ensure everything meets with your satisfaction.

PuroClean: (800) 775-7876

Koetting Insurance and Resource Agency: (618) 523-4553