The holidays are just around the corner, and with them, heightened concern about fires in the home. Further, with cooler weather on the way, we also have to be mindful of fire hazards as we use fireplaces or other types of heating. 

To help you become more aware of fire prevention in your home, we're pointing your attention to October, National Fire Prevention Month. It's a good time to review tips on fire prevention while casting about the home you chose from Klamath Falls homes for sale for fire hazards.

Check out these fire safety tips compiled by our real estate agents. 

• Install working smoke alarms.
  Smoke alarms save lives, but only if they are working. Make sure your alarms are installed according to the manufacturer's instructions—that is, where they can offer maximum protection according to the layout of your house, at the correct height (no more than a foot from the ceiling to the top of the alarm) and that you've got enough monitors to cover all bedrooms and the square footage in your home. Always check the batteries to ensure the monitors are working, or else test them to ensure that hard-wired monitors are working as needed. Ideally, monitors should be interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound. 
  
  Smoke detectors should be installed on every level of the house. Upgrade smoke alarms every 10 years. 
  
  
• Install fire extinguishers.
  Install fire extinguishers on every level of the home. Locate them high enough so that children can't reach them. Familiarize yourself with how to operate them so that in the case of a real fire, you will not have to fumble around and figure it out.
  
  
• Make an escape plan and practice it with your family.
  Plan for at least two exits to each room, a door and a window. Make sure your family knows they should crawl close to the floor if there's smoke or fire, as it will be hotter and smokier over your heads than near the ground. Instruct family members to try doors first, opening them slowly, to check for fire or smoke if there is fire or smoke, exit another way that you've designated as an escape route. Plan where you will meet up with the family outside; never go back inside. Plan for how to help older adults or young children out of the home.
  
  
• Use escape ladders for rooms that are not on the ground floor.
  Practice using the ladders so family members will know how to get out of upper-story rooms safely.
  
  
• Practice fire safety.
  • Extinguish all smoking materials
  • Don't leave cooking unattended (many home fires start at the kitchen stove)
  • Clean chimney, dryer vents, and oven regularly
  • Don't use extension cords with space heaters or other appliances that caution against using them
  • Do not store combustible materials such as paint, thinner, kerosene, and propane near a source of heat such as a water heater
  • Never leave burning candles unattended.
    
    
• Have electrical wiring inspected, especially if it's older.
  If you live in an older home with older electrical wiring, have it inspected and if need be, replace it. Yes, it can be expensive, but it can also save your family's lives. 

To learn more about preventing fires, contact your local fire department. Upgrading safety features in your home can be a good selling point when you list your home. Want more information? Contact us today.