A Landlord's Guide to Preventing Fire Hazards

As a landlord, fire hazards can pose the biggest threat to the safety of your tenants and property. To prevent a fire related catastrophe from taking place, it pays to learn and put into practice basic fire prevention methods. This includes adopting procedures that minimize the risk of fires from occurring.

Of all fire deaths that take place annually, 85% occur in homes as reported by The National Fire Protection Association. This eyeopening fact is further proof of just how vulnerable residential dwellings are to the threat and danger of fires.

These grim statistics indicate just how important it is to become vigilant against fire hazards and to adopt a program that identifies and prevents them. The life of your tenants and the survival of your property may depend on it.

The following is a list of the most common causes of fires that occur in residential dwellings and advice on how to prevent them…

1. Cooking and Cooking Equipment Fire Hazards

The number one cause of fires in homes is cooking. A Class B fire extinguisher rated for flammable liquids and kitchen fires should be provided and mounted on a kitchen wall in each rental unit.

Tenants should be instructed in the "PASS" method of operating the fire extinguisher. This stands for "Pull" the pin, "Aim" at the base of the fire, "Squeeze" the trigger, and "Spray" from side-to-side. In addition, the following cooking tips should be provided to your tenants so that the threat of a house fire will be reduced or eliminated:

• Keep kitchen appliances clean, and wipe surfaces after spills. Clean stove tops and ovens regularly. This will prevent grease buildup that could catch fire.

• When cooking, do not wear loose fitting clothes, and roll up shirt sleeves.

• Flammable objects should be kept no less than three feet away from the stove. This includes items such as dish towels, curtains, and pot holders.

• If an oven fire occurs, close or keep the door closed and turn off the heat. This should extinguish the fire due to lack of air. If the fire doesn't go out immediately, call the fire department.

• Grease fires are particularly dangerous and occur when greasy foods or cooking oil are heated and ignite. The easiest way to combat a grease fire is to extinguish it with a fire extinguisher rated for grease and liquid fires. If one is not available, then carefully slide a lid over the pan to suffocate the fire. Immediately turn off the burner, and keep the lid on until the pan cools completely.

  Also, regular Baking Soda can be used to suffocate the fire. The Cardinal rule is to NEVER PUT WATER ON A GREASE FIRE. Water causes the grease to splatter everywhere and the fire to spread. Also, NEVER attempt to take a pan with a grease fire outdoors. It will be too hot to carry and you will drop it, causing a major house fire.

• Make sure that microwave ovens have enough room around them so they won't overheat, and that all the vent openings are not obstructed.

• If a microwave fire starts, keep the door closed to suffocate the fire and unplug the unit immediately.

2. Heating Equipment Fire Hazards

Fires that result from heating equipment are the second-leading cause of house fires. However, they are the number-one cause during the winter months of December, January, and February when the systems operate for extended periods. The following actions can prevent heating equipment fires from happening:

• Chimneys, fireplaces, wood stoves, and all other "solid-fueled" heating equipment requires annual inspections by a professional and cleaned and/or repaired as needed.

• Never use extension cords to power space heaters. The large amount of electricity that space heaters require could melt the extension cord and start a fire.

• All space heaters should be equipped with automatic shutoff features.

• Space heaters should never be left unattended while they are operating.

• All space heaters should be kept no less than three feet away from any object or material that can ignite and burn.

• For protection from carbon monoxide, all fuel burning equipment must be properly ventilated, and regular gas ranges should never be used as substitutes for space heaters or furnaces.

3. Electrical Equipment Fire Hazards

Faulty electrical equipment accounts for the third leading cause of fires in residential dwellings. And, they are the second leading cause of fire deaths. Old and worn house wiring, switches, power outlets, circuit breakers, extension cords and other electrical devices can malfunction or overheat and start fires. For information on how to prevent electrical equipment fires, please visit the electrical hazards page of this website.

4. Occupant Smoking Fire Hazards

As you may have known, occupant smoking is the number-one cause of home fire deaths in the United States. Tenants should be reminded to never smoke in bed and to practice good housekeeping. This includes using ashtrays and checking the floor (carpets especially)and furniture cushions in areas where smoking took place.

5. General Fire Prevention and Safety Guidelines

• Smoke detectors should be installed on every level of the dwelling and outside of sleeping areas in accordance with local fire prevention codes.

• The correct type of fire extinguisher should be mounted in the kitchen, garage and storage area. It is vital to know what type of extinguisher you are using. Using the wrong type of extinguisher for the wrong type of fire can be life-threatening.

• There should be at least two exits in every room.

• Throw out any stored newspapers or other combustible materials. Newspapers stored in a damp, warm place may ignite spontaneously.

• Allow sufficient space around TVs and electronics so that they don't overheat and catch fire.

For more information about fire hazards and how to prevent them, please visit The Landlord's Library book collection. It's a terrific, one-stop source for practical, comprehensive information on the entire subject of residential landlording.

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