Protect against home fires in winter, make sure smoke detectors are up to task

With all the commotion and activity of the holidays, don’t forget the essential steps to keep your home and family safe from fire dangers.

Most home fires take place in winter. The home is more tightly sealed up, fireplaces are burning, people are doing more inside, and sometimes electrical outlets get overloaded. For this reason, stay on top of fire safety.

Smoke detectors present your initial line of defense in the event of a fire. The National Fire Protection Organization recommends installing smoke alarms inside every sleep room, on every level of the home, and outside sleeping areas. Many homes don’t meet this standard, so check your detectors and ensure you’re covered. Don’t install detectors near cooking appliances in order to prevent false alarms. Ten feet is a reasonable distance.

For added protection, use interconnected smoke alarms. These can be connected wirelessly or with wires. The crucial element is that when one sounds, they all sound to wake everyone in the house.

Test your smoke alarms once a month. Battery-operated alarms need to have the battery replaced at least every year. If you have an alarm with a permanently installed long-term battery, replace the entire alarm when it chirps.

Take care with electrical outlets. Overloading outlets with too many plugs that draw too much energy — a common issue during the holidays — can lead to a fire.

Keep your dryer lint trap and exhaust hose clean. A dryer vent cleaning professional can handle this for a reasonable cost.

Create a family escape plan in the event of fire. Practice it at least a couple of times. The better you drill the details in a calm state, the more easily you’ll remember them in a crisis. Make sure everyone knows their role and where to meet afterward.

Every home should have at least one fire extinguisher. The best case is to have one for every level of the home. If you keep only one extinguisher, put it in the kitchen. Train everyone in the house to operate the extinguisher and ensure everyone knows where to find it.

Invest in safety and property protection by installing a home fire sprinkler system. On average, this work will cost you $600. The NFPA says sprinkler systems lower the risk of fire fatalities by 81% and property damage by 70%. In fact, a properly installed system can control 96% of all fires.

Incidentally, don’t believe what you see in comedy movies about rogue sprinkler systems drenching the entire house. Only the sprinklers that are necessary to fight the fire will activate.

Many home security systems and smart-home installations offer functions that automatically alert the security monitoring station, who will call the fire department for assistance. Ask your home security pro what they can do to help.