How To Prevent Fires During The Spring Time

While many of us may associate fires with the more wintery months of the year – a time well-known for extra heating appliances, decorative candles and strings of fairy lights – the spring can also pose a significant fire risk. Therefore, before we all make the transition from sweatshirts to shorts and AGAs to barbecues, we thought we’d highlight some of the key things you’ll need to watch out for when trying to protect yourself and your family from fire. From chilling by the fire outside to utilising the warmer weather, let’s get started. Fire Pits & Barbecues The combination of daylight savings and lockdown means that a lot of us will be spending more time in our gardens this spring, utilising the longer evenings and warmer weather to take a break from sitting inside and working remotely all day. This, in turn, raises the likelihood that fire pits and barbecues will start to become used more and more frequently, increasing the probability that an accidental fire could be caused. So, to combat this effectively, we’ve listed a few ideas below: Water Bucket. By setting a bucket of water next to the fire pit while it’s in use, you will be more prepared to handle the fire should it start getting out of control. Children. While they may like the fire, it’s important to keep children away from the fire pit at all times to avoid any accidents from happening. Materials. Try to avoid throwing paper, leaves or pine cones into the fire as these can burn quickly and release potentially harmful embers. Marshmallows. Toast your marshmallows in the embers of the fire rather than the flames to prevent them catching fire so easily. Tumble Dryers Now that the weather is slowly getting brighter and slightly warmer, why not use that to your advantage by hanging your clothes on a line instead of using the dryer? Clothes dryer-related fires are one of the leading causes of household fires, after all. Therefore, the less you can use it, the lower the potential fire risk is likely to be. Alternatively, schedule in a time to give your tumble dryer a good clean out. It only takes a few seconds to clear the lint tray and, by making the effort to clean the vent pipe at least once a year, you could substantially reduce your home’s fire risk. Smoke Alarms & Sprinkler Systems Whatever type of fire safety system your home has, it’s absolutely imperative for it to be checked on an annual basis. Otherwise, you will only end up putting the lives of yourself and your loved ones at risk. To ensure your fire alarms are all working effectively, go around and inspect them individually, testing them by holding the button in and replacing the batteries in them should you hear anything but a loud, ear-piercing siren. With fire sprinkler systems, on the other hand, the process is slightly trickier. So, it could be worth consulting a professional to inspect your existing system on your behalf instead, utilising their skills and experience to ensure the system is in good working order. The last thing you want, after all, is to be left with an ineffective fire safety system – as was the case in Andover a few years back. Here at Applications Engineering, we appreciate the importance of effective fire safety precautions better than most. Therefore, if you have any burning questions you’d like to ask us (pun intended), or if you’d like to find out more about our services, simply get in touch.

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