Do You Close Your Bedroom Door At Night?

6/9/2020 (Permalink)

Take a look at the difference closing your bedroom door can have in a fire!

It is a simple question but the consequences of making the wrong choice might surprise you. Most people are not sure of the correct answer or they assume that the answer simply does not matter. In the case of a house fire – a closed bedroom door might save your life. Here is why:

Fires grow rapidly and expand exponentially in a matter of minutes. For a fire to grow it needs oxygen and a house with closed doors has a limited supply.

Forty years ago, people in a house fire had an estimated 17 minutes to get out of their house. Today, houses are furnished with synthetic materials and built with an open floor plan. This significantly decreases the amount of time people must safely escape from their burning home. Due to how fast the fire spreads people have about 3 minutes to get out of their homes.

According to a ten-year study conducted by the Underwriter Laboratories Firefighter Safety Research Institute, only 29% of Americans sleep with their door closed. “Close Your Door” is a national campaign asking people to take a pledge, promising to close their doors at night. The UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute did a demonstration to show the dramatic effect a closed door can have.

Some ways to prevent a fire in your home include:

Test smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries twice a year

Turn off and unplug hot hair tools

Never leave cooking food unattended on the stove top

Always blow out candles before leaving the room

Clean the lint out of the dryer tray after every load of laundry

Make a fire plan that includes escape routes

If fire or smoke damages your home, do not hesitate to call SERVPRO of East Mahoning County. We pride ourselves on “Being faster to any disaster.” Our certified professionals are trained in fire damage and restoration and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Give us a call if you need help! (330) 536 7477

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