Home fire safety checklist
Keep your home safe from fire by taking a few simple precautions. Here’s a list of potential fire hazards:
- unnecessary or excessive storage of rubbish and trash, both inside or outside
- storage of flammable liquids (gasoline) and flammable gases (propane)
- improper storage of paint materials, oily rags, etc.
Electrical
- items such as toasters and irons not unplugged when not in use
- electrical circuits overloaded or improperly fused
- electrical cords cracked, damaged, or deteriorated
- electrical cords located under rugs or areas where they can be damaged
- electrical panels and equipment not kept clear
Heating
- heating equipment, flue pipes, or chimneys in poor condition or not serviced yearly
- items (especially combustibles) kept too close to heating equipment
- ashes not stored in metal container or kept outside
- wood heat appliances not inspected by a certified inspector
- oil tank not protected (painted and serviced)
General safety issues
- no ABC-type fire extinguisher
- no smoke alarms (required under By-law F-100)
- smoke alarm not working
- no fire escape plan
- exit doors which require keys to open inside (should be thumb turns)
- no civic number displayed on the house
- bedrooms have no alternate escape route to the outdoors (exterior door or openable windows)
- bedrooms in buildings without sprinklers having no exterior door must have windows that meet the requirements of the National Building Code of Canada.