7 Ways to Protect Your Personal Property in 2023

08 March 2023

As we enter the new year, it’s important to take the time to think about how to protect your personal property from fire, soot, and water damage. Fires can happen at any time, and the damage they cause can be devastating.

Here are some tips from Phoenix Contents Restoration to help you protect your personal property in 2023: 

1. We all know how important it is to how smoke alarms on every level of your home. We also know that annoying beeping sound is the alarm calling attention to it requiring maintenance. However, when was the last time you replaced your alarms in general? A smoke alarm’s general lifespan is 10 years. Sounds like a long time until you realize on quickly time flies. Check your alarms and see if it’s time to replace old alarms with updated, new ones.

2. Create an emergency plan. Now, don’t let your eyes glaze over at this important step. An emergency plan is more than a fire drill like we remembered experiencing back in school. According to ready.gov, if you experience a home fire, you have on average 2 minutes to escape. 2 minutes. Not only that, but we know Colorado’s propensity to wildfires as we recently experienced the Marshall Fire, resulting in more than $2 billon worth of damages. An emergency plan is essential.

• If you have an evacuation call from your local authorities and only have minutes to grab some belongings, do you know where important documents and treasured family items are?
• If you have animals, do you know where their carriers are? For larger animals, do you know where to check to take them to safe havens until it’s safe to return home?

All of these items are essential to know beforehand so you can quickly and safely get your family evacuated successfully. Have an emergency plan in place that includes an evacuation route and a designated meeting place. 

 

3. Store important documents in a fireproof safe. Important documents such as birth certificates, passports, and insurance policies should be stored in a fireproof safe. This will help protect them from fire and water damage. 

4. Keep flammable items away from heat sources. Flammable items such as aerosol cans, gasoline, and paint should be kept away from heat sources such as stoves, furnaces, and fireplaces. Invest in multiple fire extinguishers to have within easy access. Not all fires happen in the kitchen and it can be extremely beneficial to have more than one.

5. Clean your dryer vent regularly. Dryer vents should be cleaned regularly to prevent lint buildup, which can be a fire hazard. 

6. Have your chimney inspected. Have your chimney inspected annually to make sure it is free of creosote buildup, which can be a fire hazard. 

7. Have your home inspected. Have your home inspected annually to make sure it is up to code and free of any potential fire hazards. 

 

By following these tips, you can help protect your personal property in the event of a house fire. If you do experience fire damage, contact Phoenix Contents Restoration for professional fire damage restoration services. We are here to help you get your home and belongings back to pre-loss condition.