Whether it be animal, human, or property, fires are accompanied by great risk, destruction, and devastation to all in its path. So, how can you minimize this risk and effects of fires?

 
Minimize Your Fire Risk
 
Of course, you want to ensure cigarettes are properly and adequately extinguished around your home and business. Any grasses surrounding your property should be kept moist, not dry. You’ll also want to stock your personal and business properties with all applicable classes of fire extinguishers. Don’t forget that these should be checked for good working order on a regular basis.
 
Do you have a fire emergency plan? If not, establish one now. This plan should include an emergency evacuation and escape procedure, designated meet-up places and times, and having firesafe boxes for important documents and valuables. Children should know how to dial 911 and stop, drop, and roll for response. Older children should know where fire extinguishers are located and proper use.
 
Know Your Fire Barrier Options
 
The above said, fire shields are one of the best preventive methods you can use to minimize the costly risk and destruction of fires around your home or business. Barrier and shielding methods offer you protection against flames igniting in the first place so that those emergency protocols don’t have to be used. Let’s explore some of your fire retardant options:
 
1. Fire Retardant Spray For Fabric
 
When it comes to clothing, you can find an array of everyday and workwear for men, women, and children that have been treated with special chemicals that make the clothing not easily or even impossible to be ignited by fire. The tag in such clothing will specifically say “flame retardant.” Kids PJs are a common place you’ll see this label in everyday wear clothing.
 
However, we all know that clothing isn’t the only thing in a home or business subject to ignite when a spark is present. Such includes rugs, drapes, upholstery, wall coverings, bedding, and other fabric surfaces. This is where a fire retardant spray for fabric comes in handy. You can use the chemical spray to treat your fabrics with an odorless and transparent barrier to help minimize their likelihood to ignite and flame if a spark reaches them.
 
2. Fire Retardant Spray For Wood
 
Like the above fabric spray, this is a chemical spray to help minimize the treated wood-product areas from burning. Fire retardant spray for wood is great for furniture, flooring, wood walls, drywall, and other wood surfaces around your home. It’s specifically designed to seal the wood without damaging or staining it in any way.

 
3. Landscape Shielding
 
You can go about landscape shielding several different ways. It all depends on what types of vegetation and trees exist around the property.
 
For heavily wooded areas, fire lines, such as those used by forest rangers, can be made around the property by strategically clearing a specific line of trees. This is done so that the fire can’t utilize the trees for fuel to spread nearer your home or business. The open space basically allows the fire to be contained before it reaches your property.
 
Fire retardant spray can be used on taller grasses, weeds, shrubs, and other vegetation around your property. Whether it’s a nearby lightening strike, a cigarette someone throws out on your property, or a stray cinder from a nearby fire, fire retardant spray helps keep vegetation from becoming fuel that brings a fire too close for comfort to your home or business.
 
4. Fireproof Building Products
 
Certain building materials are pretreated to avoid igniting during fires and sparks. One of the most common of these are fire doors. When closed, the door will provide a barrier between fire and any spaces behind the door so long as it remains shut.
 
5. Fireproof Varnish And Paint
 
Most paints and varnishes are highly combustible. However, speciality paints are available that have been specifically designed to resist sparks and withstand high temperatures. These paints also act as an additional barrier should a fire break out in your home or business and heat up the paint.
 
Are Some Fire Retardant Sprays Better Than Others?
 
The level of a spray’s combustion probability is what’s used to rank fire retardant products. The combustion ranking scale goes from 0-200, with the higher the number being, the more combustible it is deemed. Only those scored 25 or less can be ranked as a Class A product, which are those that offer the most efficient and effective protection.
 
In closing, with a proper emergency fire plan in place and the proactive use of a home fire barrier, you can significantly minimize the risks associated with home and business fires.