Fire Safety In Your Leisure Home This Summer
It’s a good time to brush up on fire safety in your leisure home this summer, especially as the hot, dry weather is bringing us all out to enjoy the rays. We have compiled some of the top tips from the UK government and the fire service as a reminder, which we hope will keep you a little safer this summer.
While the emphasis here is on the outdoors it is still worth remembering a quick check list for fire safety inside your leisure home:
- Smoke alarm
- Carbon monoxide alarm
- Fire extinguisher and fire blanket kept near the stove
- Keep vents clear and ensure good ventilation
- Reduce clutter
- Smoke outdoors
- Keep matches away from children
- Avoid using naked flames such as candles indoors
One of the beauties of owning a leisure home is the ease with which you can step outside and take your cooking, eating and relaxing there too. With this freedom comes a few hazards that are worth being aware of. With the recent extremely dry weather, we have been made all too aware of how easily fires can start and spread. We hope the fire-safety tips below go some way to ensuring that you can relax and enjoy the sunshine and warm evenings while this summer weather lasts.
Fire safety tips outside your leisure home
- Keep barbecues, firepits and any other fires a safe distance away from your leisure home, including awnings and other coverings
- Do not set fires or barbecues beneath awnings, gazebos or other coverings
- Be aware of the prevailing wind and keep an eye on sparks
- Keep a bucket of water, an extinguisher, a hosepipe (bans allowing) or a bucket of sand handy to thoroughly extinguish any fire after use and to put out any unwanted fires
- Do not overfill your barbecue with charcoal. A depth of about 50mm (two inches) is recommended by the fire service
- Mount your barbecue on a flat secure surface
- Make sure all cooking is shut down safely and all fires are out before retiring for the night
- Secure any fuel containers or cannisters outside, a safe distance away from the fire or stove and out of direct sunlight
- Switch the fuel off first, if changing cannisters or fuel pipes and try to do this outdoors or in a well-ventilated space
- If you suspect you have a fuel leak in a gas cannister, rub soapy water around the seals and watch for bubbles to check. Tighten any seals if you can being careful not to overtighten.
- Clear debris and rubbish away from between your home and clear up each evening before you retire
- Cut the grass, especially if it is dry and yellow and clear away any dry plant or tree debris
- Dispose of any broken glass and take glasses and bottles inside
- Dispose of ashes when they are totally cold, away from your home by extinguishing embers with water and placing the ashes in a metal container or on bare garden soil. Ashes in plastic bins can melt through them and start a fire
- Keep young children and ball games, frisbee and the like, away from barbecues and fires
- If you are in charge of a barbecue or a fire of any sort, enjoy yourself of course, but it is important to not drink too much. If you feel like letting your hair down, maybe find a keen friend or relative to do the cooking.
If a fire does get beyond your control, get everyone to a safe place and call the fire service. For more information go to: government fire safety information
This is a marketing article from My Holiday Home Insurance, a specialist provider of insurance for holiday lodges, holiday homes, leisure homes, holiday chalets and static caravans. Our team of experienced advisers are always happy to help, so for more information call our Northampton office on freephone 0800 988 0890.
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