If you live in a mobile home, you want to ensure that it is as safe as possible from fires. Wondering what could help to protect you? Take a look at these tips and ideas, and keep them in mind while shopping for a new mobile home or modifying your existing one:
1. Use fire lining on walls and ceilings
If something starts to burn in a building, the flames may jump to the walls surrounding that item. This is called flashover, and it can happen even more quickly in a mobile home than a standard home, simply because the rooms are typically smaller, meaning there is less space for the flames to navigate through.
To prevent that from happening, your walls and ceiling should have a fire lining. With some homes, you can buy that installed, but if you already have a mobile home, you can work with a contractor to add fireproof insulation between your wall cavities.
2. Install a hood fan in the kitchen
In many cases, home fires start in the kitchen. Unfortunately, if you are cooking and a fire starts on the stove, the flames could easily light the cabinets above the stove on fire. To reduce this risk, you don't need any special fire lining or retardant materials. You simply need to put in a hood fan.
The metal of the hood fan can corral the flames and prevent the fire from spreading. Additionally, when you use the fan, it can help to release cooking fumes or smoke, which aren't necessarily fire risks can make your home smoky and uncomfortable. Finally, you may want to add a fire retardant spray on the base of the cabinet directly next to the hood fan.
3. Consider adding sprinklers
Fireproof linings and insulation are made to resist burning for as long as possible, but they can still catch on fire. Because of that, you may want to have back up measures in place in case your mobile home starts on fire. You can add temperature-controlled sprinklers that release water when a fire drives up the temperature in your house.
4. Prepare all your exits
In some cases, regardless of how much protective measures are in place, your mobile home may catch on fire. Make sure that you can get out of the home easily if this happens. Most mobile homes feature two exits as well as windows in each room. Make sure that the exits are not blocked, and make sure that they have stairs next to them so you can exit easily.
If you want more tips on preparing your mobile home for fire safety, contact a damage contractor. They deal with the effects of fires every day, and they can also help you avoid fire-related damage as much as possible.
