Fire Safety Precautions When Restoring Your Home

At Rainbow Restoration, we prioritise your safety while we work to restore your property. When our drying and restoration equipment is installed in your home, it’s essential to follow specific safety guidelines to prevent fire hazards, here are some critical tips to keep in mind:

1. Keep the Area Around Equipment Clear

Ensure there is sufficient space around all drying and restoration equipment, avoid placing any items such as; furniture or decorations, within a few feet of the equipment. This prevents obstruction of airflow and reduces the risk of overheating.

2. Do Not Turn Off Equipment

If you notice equipment running, do not turn it off unless instructed to do so by our team. The equipment is designed to operate continuously to dry your property effectively and prevent further damage, if you have concerns about the equipment, please contact us instead of turning it off.

3. Avoid Tampering with the Equipment

It’s essential that you do not open, move, or tamper with any installed equipment. These units are calibrated to operate under specific conditions and interfering with them can lead to malfunctions or safety hazards.

4. Monitor for Signs of Overheating

Keep an eye out for any signs of overheating, such as excessive heat emanating from the units or unusual sounds. If you notice any issues, immediately contact our team for assistance instead of attempting to fix the problem yourself.

5. Keep Flammable Materials Away

Ensure that any flammable materials, such as paper, wood or chemicals are stored away from the equipment. Do not allow these items to accumulate in the vicinity of the restoration equipment to minimise fire hazards.

6. Keep Children Away From Equipment

For their safety, keep children away from the equipment and work area. If we have advised you to stay out of certain areas, please ensure that family members do not enter these zones, this helps prevent accidents and allows our team to work safely and efficiently.

7. Keep Pets Away

Please ensure that pets are also kept away from the equipment and work areas. Keeping pets out of these zones reduces the risk of accidents and ensures a safer environment for everyone.

Additional Fire Safety Tips for Homeowners

In addition to following the guidelines above for equipment use, here are some proactive steps you can take to enhance fire safety in your home:

• Keep Evacuation Routes Clear: Regularly check that your home’s evacuation routes are unobstructed, ensure furniture, decorations and other items do not block doors or pathways, allowing for a swift exit in case of an emergency. Statistics from the UK Fire Service show that blocked exits contribute to around 40% of fire fatalities.
• Install Smoke Alarms: Equip your home with smoke alarms on every level, particularly near sleeping areas. According to Fire Kills, having a working smoke alarm can reduce the risk of dying in a reported fire by up to 50%,
  Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year, consider installing interconnected alarms that will sound simultaneously throughout the home. We have a blog discussing smoke alarms and the importance of them, find it here: Fire safety 101 – How many smoke alarms do I need?
• Avoid Overloading Extension Cables: Be mindful of how you use extension cords, only use heavy-duty, appropriately rated extension cords for your equipment and avoid daisy-chaining multiple cords together, overloading can cause overheating and increase the risk of fire.
  Research shows that electrical failures are a leading cause of fires in homes, accounting for about 19% of all reported fires in the UK. We have a blog that discusses the topic of white goods and which ones are a fire risk, find it here: Which white goods can be a fire risk, and 15 ways to mitigate the dangers.

What to Do in the Event of a Fire

In the unfortunate event of a fire in your home, follow these crucial steps:

1. Get Out: Your first priority should be to get yourself and your family members out of the house. Do not attempt to gather belongings.
2. Stay Low: If smoke is present, stay low to the ground where the air is clearer. Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth if necessary.
3. Call for Help: Once you are safely outside, call the emergency services on 999 to report the fire.
4. Do Not Re-enter: Never go back into a burning building for any reason until the fire service declares it safe.

For more information on fire safety and prevention, you can visit the Fire Protection Association website or your local fire service.

If your home becomes affected by fire, please get in touch with us via the 24 hour National Helpline, 01623 422488, where our Damage Management Practitioners are here to help restore your property whilst you recover.