Australian Property News
Property owners warned to minimise fire risks
Posted on Thursday, June 25 2009 at 4:56 PM
Archicentre has issued a reminder to homeowners and investors that winter is a high fire risk time due to faulty heating home appliances.
The building advisory service says all homeowners and investors should have working smoke alarms installed to save lives and protect their properties.
Over the past 12 months, approximately 30 per cent of residential dwelling fires were sparked in the kitchen, followed by 11 per cent in the lounge room, 11 per cent in the bedroom and four per cent in the laundry.
Of these fires, cooking equipment or heating represented 20 per cent, with electrical faults responsible for an equal proportion.
Archicentre's Queensland state manager, Ron Tanton, says there are around 11,000 house fires in Australia each year, resulting in the deaths of approximately 60 people, often children.
Tanton says there are thousands of Australian homes putting lives at risk due to lack of smoke alarms or often poorly installed or maintained ones.
"Many homes damaged or destroyed by fire don't have working smoke alarms. In some cases fire authorities have reported the batteries have been removed from the smoke alarm rendering them inoperable."
"Smoke alarms don't last forever and usually have a lifespan of about 10 years. If your alarm is older than this the fire authorities recommend it be replaced," Tanton adds.
Some additional fire prevention tips recommended by Archicentre include:
- unplugging appliances when not in use;
- have appliances checked annually by a licensed electrician; unplug the TV;
- switch off the electric blanket before you go to sleep;
- have your heating units and ducted heating systems professionally serviced prior to winter use;
- install a safety switch on power and light circuits;
- avoid hanging clothes to dry too close to heaters as clothes can quickly ignite;
- turn off heaters before bedtime; and
- clean the exhaust fan grill over the stove to remove fire fuel fats and grease.
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