Loss Prevention Tips

Here are some tips to help keep you from suffering a loss to your property:

• Replace your rubber washer hoses with stainless steel hoses.
• Have your furnace inspected each year.
• If you have a fireplace, have the chimney swept each year.
• Place smoke detectors on each floor of your property and in every bedroom. Remember to change your smoke detector batteries regularly. A good habit to get into is to change them when you change your clocks for daylight savings.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen.
• Replace wear and tear items at the end of their stated life span, such as your water heater (typically 10 years) or your roof (typically 20-30 years).

After a fire or theft occurs, it is often difficult to remember all the contents in your property which may have been lost or destroyed. If you make a list of your personal belongings before a claim happens, this process can become much simpler. An easy way to do this is to walk through each room of your home with a camcorder and keep the video of your contents in a fire-proof lock box.

Want more information on how to help prevent a fire and how to keep your family safe if a fire does occur? Visit http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/.