Home Safety Tip : How To Install And Test A Smoke Detector

According to the United States Fire Administration, in 2008, there were an estimated 378,200 in-home fires. Combined, these fires caused $8 billion in property damage and killed 2,600 people.

Unfortunately, many of affected homes did have smoke detectors installed, but the devices were faulty either because of dead batteries, or because the smoke detector had reached the end of its useful life.

This is why it's so important to test your home's smoke detectors at least once annually.

Here's how to test a smoke detector:

1. Ask a family member or friend to walk to the farthest point of the home from the detector.
2. Push and hold the testing button to activate the alarm. Usually, this takes 5 seconds.
3. Confirm with the family member or friend that the alarm was audible from his/her location.

And there's an additional step worth taking.

Just because the smoke detector's alarm works doesn't mean that the actual smoke detector works. For less than $15, therefore, you may want to buy a "smoke test" from Amazon to confirm whether your detector is faulty. The smoke test simulates a real fire so, if the detector fails to sound when it's tested, it's time to replace the entire smoke detector unit.

2,000 residential fires occur on Thanksgiving Day each year -- most of them related to cooking. Before Thursday, make sure your smoke detectors are working. You don't want your home to be Fire #2001.

Sense of Security

Not Protecting Your Home Can Cost You

Burglary is a fact of life. It happens every day, often to people who think it'll never happen to them. In fact, the number of burglaries is on a steady rise, climbing nearly 4% from 2004 to 2008...and 6% since 1999.

And of the more than 2 million burglaries reported in 2008, 70% took place in residential homes rather than businesses. Those burglaries averaged more than $2,000 in stolen items, adding up to nearly $5 billion in lost property in one year alone!

Despite these alarming statistics, you're not at the mercy of the would-be burglars. Believe it or not, it's not fate that determines whether your house is burglarized. Taking the right steps...and avoiding others...can significantly reduce your risk.

How to Protect Your Home
Recent studies (including the Greenwich Study of Residential Security conducted by Drs. Simon Hakim, Gideon Fishman and Yochanan Shachmurove) have found that alarm systems are the single most effective way to reduce the risk of burglary. In addition, studies have noted that houses near wooded areas or in areas with easy access to highways tend to get targeted more often. If you're in the market for a new home, you may want to consider these factors.

If you already live in a house or want to purchase a house that fits that description, don't fear. You'll just want to take extra precautions, such as clearing the bushes and branches away from windows and entrances, installing fake or real security cameras in prominent places so potential thieves will see them, and maybe even starting up a neighborhood watch program.

In addition to those tips, the following steps can help you protect your home and provide a sense of security for your family.

What Should You Do?

• Lock doors and windows.

• Keep garage and tool shed locked.

• Clear obstructions in your yard, like bushes near windows, that might conceal a burglar.

• Change your locks when moving into a new house or apartment.

• Use exterior lighting around your home, especially motion detecting lights that can come on without notice and surprise a would-be burglar.

• Use a timer to turn lights on in your home when you're out of town.

• Even if a stranger asks to use your telephone for an emergency, say no. Instead, offer to make the call for them while they wait outside.

What Should You Avoid?
Avoid keeping large sums of money in your house, but if you have to, don't brag about it even to close friends

Don't leave notes on your door with information about where you are or when you'll return.

Don't hide a key, especially in obvious places. Leave your spare house keys with a trusted neighbor instead.

Keep expensive electronic equipment and other high-price items out of site from the windows.

Don't answer personal questions on telephone surveys that may give out information about your possessions or your schedule (e.g., what hours you work or when you get home every day).

Never let a service representative from a utility company enter your house unless you have an appointment or can verify identification.

If you use social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, don't broadcast that you're going on vacation or when you'll be away for a trip. Wait until you get home, and then post the pictures or make posts about it.

Household Safety Tips : Space Heaters

For spot and room heating, homeowners often turn to portable space heaters.  Often, it's cheaper and faster to heat a small space with a heater than it is to raise the entire home's temperature by a few degrees.
But space heaters can be dangerous.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, space heaters were responsible for a large percentage of overall fire-related damages in 2006, including:

• 43% of home heating-related injuries
• 51% of home heating-related property damage
• 73% of home heating-related civilian deaths

Clearly, as compared to central heating systems and fireplaces, electric space heaters cause a disproportionate amount of in-home damage.  This is why it's important to be safe when using them.
So, here's some basic space heater tips to follow at home:

• Never place anything flammable within three feet away of a space heater
• Never use an extension cord on a space heater
• Turn space heaters off when leaving a room or going to bed

Furthermore, make sure your space heater bears the label of a recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratory.
Remember to test your smoke detectors monthly.
Source Heating Safety Tips National Fire Protection Agency