I wanted to share with you my life lesson to hopefully become something that helps you and your family in the future – might even save someone’s life.
As some of you know, we moved in the middle of March. I quickly had an alarm system installed and decided not to go with the alarm systems smoke detectors. Instead I had an electrician come out for work and when he was out here, I had him look at our smoke detectors. I also replaced all of our smoke detectors batteries.
Smoke Detector Tip: Put 9-Volt Batteries on your Amazon Subscribe & Save every 6 months. That way you are reminded to change your smoke detectors twice a year!
We Had a Home Fire
Last week, I was home alone working. The kids were at the park, the cat and I were sitting in my office. All of a sudden the smoke detectors went off. Typically, my first instinct is to assume the battery. Only I smelt it. Something was burning. Immediately I called 911 and ran to a neighbors house to drop off our cat. The neighbor ran back with me and he shut down the electricity and HVAC circuit breakers while we tried to trace the source of the fire. We couldn’t find it and assumed the attic due to the top floor having the most odor.
After the fire department came out, we discovered our instincts were correct and the HVAC indoor unit had a small electrical fire in the attic. My neighbor shutting down electricity was the right thing and aided in changing our outcome.
Busy Mom Tips
The point of my email is to share lessons that I learned to help you too.
Lesson 1: Shutting Down the Electricity
First, if you are in a safe situation and you can access your home circuit breaker panel(s), flip the entire unit off. In our case, the breaker was the farthest thing form the electrical fire.
Lesson 2: Get Alerts When You Are Away
Second, I am not always home. I wanted a future solution in case I was out. I called my alarm company and they installed smoke systems that will alert my alarm company (the same detectors I declined before) and me if a fire occurs. Perhaps your alarm system has this type of smoke detector too.
Mobile Alert Smoke Detectors
Don’t have an alarm system. No worries. there are smoked detectors with mobile alerts. You could pick up this one I found on Amazon in my Home Store. This smoke detector sends text alerts to your phone if the smoke detector goes off.
A more expensive option is the Google Nest Protect smoke detector. It will also send an alert to your phone if the detector goes off.
If this fire happened while we were away, 911 would not have been called until it was visible to neighbors and at that point, maybe too late!
Lesson 3: Reminder – Smoke Rises
Lastly, I re-learned is that alarms are best at the highest point of the home (where ours went off) and at stairwells, as smoke rises.
All is okay. Shutting down the electricity prevented the electrical fire from continuing and spreading. The fire was contained in the unit. Our ceiling, roof and attic are otherwise okay. Want to know what I grabbed (other than the cat)? My computer. Only my computer from which I write you now.
Chances are if I was not home, our house would not be here today! Grateful to be able to write you all this email today. Quick thinking, Quick acting. My my lessons become future fire prevention for you!
Disclosure: I am not a fire expert, please contact your local fire department, your local electrician or the American Red Cross for fire safety tips.
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