Steps To Prevent House Fires: A Serious Threat To Homeowners In India

From sustenance to survival, fire has always been an important part of human civilization. However, when fire becomes uncontrolled, then it can also cause havoc. Fire accidents are quite common in India, and they can leave a huge burden of trauma on the survivors.

Causes of house fire

Following is a list of some common causes of house fires:

• Gas cylinder:

Gas cylinders are one of the biggest causes of house fires in India. News about blasts in gas cylinders can be seen in newspapers often. If the knob of the stove is left open, then it can cause leakage of gas which can, in turn, result in gas blasts. Therefore you need to be careful and conscious when you enter the kitchen.

If you smell gas fumes when you enter your kitchen, check your stove firsthand. In case you see the knob open, close the knob and open the windows and doors so that the fumes can clear out. Close the knob of the gas cylinder, and don’t use any electricity buttons to avoid sparking. Moreover, once you are done cooking, turn off the main gas knob of the cylinder so that no gas remains in the pipeline.

• Overheated appliances:

Overheating is a common cause of the fire. Overheating usually happens in heavy-duty appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators. For example, if your air conditioners are left on for a long period of time, they might heat up, or your refrigerator might heat up quickly, especially during summers, due to too much cooling.

Overheating in appliances usually occurs during summers, so you need to be more careful about the situation during that season. Don’t overuse the appliances, and make sure that a stabilizer is attached to your air conditioner, and they always stay in the energy-saving mode if you are going to use your air conditioner for a long period of time.

These two conditions are important because a stabilizer prevents the heating up of the air conditioner during any kind of electrical fluctuation, whereas the energy-saving mode turns off the conditioner automatically whenever a set temperature is attained.

• Incense sticks and candles:

Incense sticks are quite common in religious households. People burn them every day in the mornings and evenings. However, if the burning residue of this incense comes in contact with any cloth or paper, it can result in a fire. Make sure that after you burn your incense sticks, they are kept away from any cloth. You can also use stands made from metal and wood to prevent this.

Apart from this, candles are also quite common in many religious households. Candles are either used for religious purposes or simply as decoration. However, they can easily cause a fire. So make sure that you don’t put your candles near flammable substances like oil, thin wooden materials, curtains, beds, etc… Moreover, it is better to use candle stands to avoid any accidents.

• Inadequate wiring:

Wiring is necessary if you want an electricity supply in your household. However, if your household has inadequate wiring that is unable to withstand the peak power consumption, it can cause sparks that can become the cause of a fire.

When you utilize high voltage appliances continuously and regularly, the wires could heat up, especially during the summer season, and catch fire. Thus make sure that you invest in good quality wires that are approved by National standards when building or purchasing a house or office. Also, use wires that have high tensile strength to avoid any accidents.

• Smoking:

If you or anyone else in your family smokes, then you or that member needs to be extra careful while doing so. Firstly it is best to avoid smoking indoors. In case you do smoke inside a room, make sure that you stay away from curtains, bed sheets, and rugs.

Don’t leave a lighted cigarette or even your lighter near these flammable objects, and DO NOT smoke in the kitchen. Use the balcony or go out to smoke. Also, make sure that you have plenty of ashtrays at your home and that all these are kept away from flammable substances.

How to prevent house fires?

Following are some methods and activities that can help you prevent house fires:

• Light the lighter or matchstick before switching on your gas stove or any other appliance that requires gas.
• Don’t stray away from the stove.
• Wear a cotton apron or cotton clothes near the fire. Strongly avoid clothes made from artificial materials like rayon or polyester.
• Switch off the gas regulator when sleeping or going out.
• Using tongs while handling a hot vessel instead of cloth is advised.
• Practice and plan out home evacuation drills every 6 months.
• Regularly change your gas pipeline and regulator.
• Clean your chimney and gas stove regularly to clean off the grease.
• Use special circuits for heavy-duty appliances.
• Install the ELCB in the electric circuit
• Make sure that children stay away from gas stoves, candles, lighters, match sticks, or any other fire source.
• Don’t smoke inside your house.
• Get your electrical appliances serviced regularly.
• Keep flammable liquids away from heat and fire sources locked away in metal containers.
• Regularly clean closets, cabinets, and basements and clear them off flammable substances like paper and cardboard.

Why use Firewall Technology Plywood?

CenturyPly brings to you an innovative fire retardant ply that is embedded with Firewall technology. This technology closes down the spread of fire and smoke. Moreover, if the fire source is removed from the plywood, then the fire extinguishes itself. This means that with this technology, your plywood becomes fire-resistant.

Certified as the best technology by the American, British, and Indian standards, the firewall technology not only makes your plywood fire-resistant but also water-resistant and durable. The most important thing is that this technology in no way affects the other features of the plywood.

To make plywood fire-resistant, wood is infused with chemicals, and the untreated wood is sealed in a chamber where a vacuum is created to remove the air. This firewall technology makes the plywood resistant to fire and is a core treatment that makes the plywood non-hygroscopic.

Conclusion

The Firewall technology of CenturyPly is important for fire accident prevention. You can make furniture, shelves, doors, and decorative items from this plywood. Though they don’t prevent fire spread, they significantly reduce the speed of fire spread and allow you to get out of the place safely.