Part of being a responsible homeowner is ensuring that your home has certain fire safety systems installed and working. As a result, it is important to conduct your own home fire safety inspection to help ensure that your home is safe and prepared in the event a fire breaks out. 

Here are some home fire inspection tips from Metro Fire Inspections that can help you protect your loved ones and your property.

Home Fire Inspection Tips for the Exterior of Your Home

Here is a list of things you should check around the exterior of your home when conducting a residential fire safety inspection:

• Is your house number clearly visible from the street?
• Are your roof and gutters clear from flammable debris like leaves and pine straw?
• Is there proper clearance around your electrical and gas meters?
• Can fire engines and ambulances access your driveway to reach your home?
• Is your gas or charcoal grill at least 10 feet from the side of your home when it is in use? 
• Are proper ash trays located outside for smokers?
• Is the area next to your home free of excessive leaves, brush, trash, tree trimmings, or other combustibles?
• Are your outside electrical receptacles GFCIs and are they in good working condition?
• Is your swimming pool or hot tub enclosed by a four-sided fence and locked gate, and properly grounded?

Home Fire Inspection Tips for the Interior of Your Home

Here is a list of things you should check around the interior of your home when conducting a residential fire safety inspection:

• Is your home equipped with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) breakers or does it have GFCI outlets on countertop surfaces within six feet of running water outlets, and do they properly?
• Are your appliances plugged directly to wall outlets and not extension cords?
• Are all breakers properly labeled in the electrical panel box?
• Is there a three-foot clearance in front of the electrical panel box?
• Do all electrical outlets and switches have proper faceplates installed and in good condition?
• Are all electrical outlets in good working condition (no evidence of arcing or overheating)?
• Are all light switches in good condition (no evidence of arcing or overheating)?
• Are you using the correct wattage bulbs in your lighting fixtures?
• Do you have a certified fire extinguisher in your kitchen?
• Do you have tamper-resistant outlets in your home (if you have children)?
• Is your electrical panel easily accessible for inspection and in good condition? 
• Are your service entrance raceways or cables securely fastened in place, grounded, easily accessible, and in good condition?
• Do you have smoke alarms on each level of the home, in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and at least 10 feet from a stationary or fixed cooking appliance?
• Are all smoke alarms tested and cleaned each month?
• Are your smoke alarms interconnected, so when one sounds, they all sound?
• Are your smoke alarms newer than 10 years old?
• Do you clean your bathroom exhaust vent every six months?
• Is the dryer lint trap cleaned out after each use?
• Is there a three-foot clearance around heating devices and water heaters?
• Is your home free of combustible clutter, such as clothing, papers, and magazines?
• Do you have your furnace and fireplace inspected and cleaned before each heating season?
• Do you change your furnace filters on a regular schedule?
• Do you have a home fire escape plan and does your family practice it at least twice a year?
• Do your windows open easily for evacuation? Are they not blocked by furniture, security bars or nailed/painted shut?
• Does your home have a carbon monoxide alarm outside each separate sleeping area and on every level, and are they working?
• Do you keep matches, lighters, and flammable liquids stored in a secure cabinet where children can’t access them?
• Are you careful to never leave lit candles unattended?

Another common issue found in residences is the use of flexible cords and cables in place of fixed wiring. Running extension cords through holes in walls, ceiling or floor, under carpets, or through doorways or windows is never recommended because it is one of the most common causes of fire in the home.

If it has been a while since you did a thorough safety inspection of your home, then now is the time to do it. A fire can break out at any moment. Ensuring your home is safe and your family is prepared is the best thing you can do to protect them.