Defend Your Family From These Common Dangers

For whatever reason, a house fire is one of those disasters that people might assume will never happen to them and their families. As such, people might not make fire alarms, smoke detectors and such a priority. Homeowners also lower their defenses during the winter, possibly because criminal activity wanes slightly during cold seasons. Maybe you’re not worried because it’s too cold for campfires, or you don’t have a fireplace in your home.

Did you know that more home structure fires take place during the holidays and throughout January than any other time of year? We’ll show you’re more vulnerable now and how to get ahead of this disaster before it strikes by bringing a top-notch fire detection system to your property.

SEE ALSO: Incorporate These Safety Tips Into Your Fire Alarm Monitoring

Reason #1: You Probably Cook More

While cooking, sharing and eating food brings us joy, it also comes with increased fire risk. In fact, cooking is cited as the top cause of home fires and home fire injuries. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, 47 percent of them start as the result of cooking equipment left unattended.

Cooking-related fires are highly preventable, but there’s a catch: According to the same NFPA study listed above, almost one-third of us disable our smoke detectors before we cook to prevent any annoying alarm sounds. Many cooks walk out of the kitchen while they’re waiting for a timer to go off: All it takes is a stray dishtowel near an oven to start a fire. To minimize risk as you disengage your life-saving sensors, we install smoke detectors more than 10 feet away, so you can leave them armed and get fewer false alarms.

Reason #2: More Electricity Gets Used

Electrical fires caused by improper wiring are even more common during the winter. First, you might be overstraining your HVAC system, which causes already overheated wires to spark. During warmer months, fires happen from external causes; however, winter fires start from the outside in.

Why do electrical fires happen more frequently during the cold season? Simply put, electrical fires start when too much electricity gets pulled through old wiring that can’t handle the amperage: We’re talking about anything from your lighting to HVAC, and even auxiliary heaters, lamps or electrical devices. Our company follows the NFPA’s National Electrical Code when installing or updating our security systems so that you’re never at risk for any preventable electrical danger. Our NYFD certificate of approval affirms that we’ve passed the most stringent testing for installing and supporting fire alarm systems. As a full-service fire prevention company, we not only install but also test and monitor your smoke detectors to ensure ongoing code compliance.

Reason #3: The Home Materials Dry Out

As you can see above, we can sometimes blame technical elements when fires start, but sometimes, the answer is much more straightforward. During the winter, the less humid air can dry out your home’s construction materials, making it more vulnerable to burning. Also, if any of the above already concerns you, a moisture-free house presents another danger: A dry home, especially with wooden materials, will burn more quickly, leaving you less time to escape.

What Can You Do?

Lowitt Alarms has taken fire safety seriously for the last 50 years. We install UL-listed smoke detectors and the very best in fire alarm safety devices, and interconnect your sensors to your central alarm system so that your family immediately knows if a fire starts.

Though our technology can mitigate a fire risk, it’s our people who demonstrate both understanding and expertise during an emergency. That’s why we offer around-the-clock, monitored security to support you, whether you have a question about your smoke detector or need to report a fire.

Don’t ignore these fire risks any longer. A fire only takes seconds to develop and destroy a family’s life. Protect your home and loved ones now by contacting us or calling us at 516-433-6960. We look forward to hearing from you.