BilMar Realty

Mobile home living is safe and affordable, and an is excellent alternative to traditional housing.  Like other forms of housing, there are responsibilities you have to accept to ensure that you and your family remain safe and secure in your homes.  Awareness and effective planning can help minimize risks and improve the quality of your life.

Fire Safety

BilMar Realty Investments wants to ensure you are provided information that will help ensure you and your family is safe in your manufactured home. A mobile home owner must be even more vigilant against fires than a house traditional home owner. When mobile homes catch on fire, they spread quickly and are often total losses due to the smaller size and construction of the structure.

Each year, nearly 4,000 Americans die in home fires and more than 25,000 are injured. The following safety information, provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other recognized sources, was compiled to provide you with tips on how to keep you and your family safe.

Furnaces

To guard against fires, mobile home owners should have their furnaces inspected at least once each year. You should clean or change the furnace filters regularly. Replace disposable filters and wash, brush, or vacuum permanent filters.

Keep the furnace area clear of clutter--don't use it as a storage area and never use your furnace as a clothes dryer.

Check the furnace exhaust vent and clear obstructions such as leaves or animal nests from the vent pipe. Inspect the blower motor with the power off. Vacuum any accumulated dirt.

Be sure the thermostat on your furnace is in good working condition by keeping it clean. Have it checked regularly by a heating professional.

Electrical Systems

Your wiring and your appliances should be in good working order. Faulty wiring is one of the leading causes of mobile home fires. Make sure, if you get a new major appliance, that your electrical system can handle the job. If you're living in an older mobile home, have an electrical inspector look at the wiring system to make sure it's safe before you install new appliances.

Be careful not to overload your electrical circuits. If you need to replace a fuse, install only recommended fuses and only use fuses and breakers that are properly sized for the electrical wiring. If you are inexperienced in working with electricity, don't try to correct electrical problems yourself. Call a qualified electrician.

Watch out for signs of wiring trouble:

• Flickering lights
• Warm, inoperable, strange-smelling or discolored switch plates or outlets
• Sparking or electrical arcing
• A blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker

If you encounter any of these problems, call an electrician immediately.

Extension cords are meant for temporary use only. If you find yourself using one year-round, move the appliance so that it can be plugged directly into the wall or call a qualified electrician to install an additional outlet. Never plug heating devices into extension cords and make certain that an extension cord is heavy-duty enough to handle whatever is plugged into it.

Watch for and replace frayed or broken electrical cords and never run cords under rugs. Only buy electrical appliances and equipment approved by a certified testing laboratory, and make sure all electrical appliances are properly installed and maintained. In addition, keep dust from accumulating on televisions and other appliances.

Space Heaters

Mobile home owners should avoid using space heaters. If a space heater is absolutely necessary, keep it away from drapes, clothing, bedding, and other places it might come into contact with flammable materials.

When using a space heater, it's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions. As a general rule, keep electric space heaters at least 36 inches away from anything combustible. Never leave a space heater on when you leave the house or go to bed. It's dangerous to dry wet clothing over or next to your space heater.

Water Heaters

Maintain water heater temperature at 120-125 degrees. Have it checked at least once each year. If you have a gas heater, pay special attention to the flue area. If the heater is electric, check for loose wiring. The water heater's pressure relief valve should be checked for corrosion. Never close up or cover a floor or wall vent in a gas water heater compartment.

Smoke Detectors

Make sure you have at least one working smoke detector in your mobile home and better yet, have one in each bedroom as well. Test the smoke detector and vacuum it every month and whenever you've been away for a week or more. When you change your clocks, change your smoke detector batteries!  

Fire Extinguishers

Your mobile home should be equipped with a working fire extinguisher, easily accessible, and ready for use. Keep one fire extinguisher in the kitchen and another near the furnace. Make sure they're multi-purpose, dry-chemical extinguishers, suitable for class A, B and C fires. Teach all family members how to operate the extinguishers.

Natural Gas and Liquid Propane

If you have a natural gas or LP (Liquid Propane) line coming into your home, be sure to know where the shutoff valve is located and how to operate it. Don't keep LP tanks inside your home, even temporarily. Don't use a gas stove to heat or dry your home. Also, make sure any gas appliances vent to the outside of your home--venting one to the inside can cause death by carbon monoxide poisoning.

And never check a gas line with a match or other open flame. Don't try to hook one up yourself, either. Leave both tasks to a qualified service technician.

Flammable Liquids

Store flammable liquids in approved containers outside your manufactured home and never bring flammable liquids (gasoline, kerosene, etc.) into your home.

Clutter and Debris

Keep your home and yard tidy and free of debris. Do not allow magazines, newspapers, and other combustible items to collect. Make certain all exits are clear and easy to reach.

Matches and Lighters

Store all matches and lighters out of the reach of children. If small children are a regular part of your household, lock matches and lighters up, as well.

Smoking

If smoking is permitted in your home, provide large, deep metal or ceramic ashtrays and empty them into metal containers. Check around cushions for smoldering cigarettes before going to bed. No one should ever smoke in bed or while drowsy.

Cooking

Don’t leave cooking food unattended for even a few minutes. If you have to go out, turn off all burners before leaving.

Candles

Never leave an unattended candle burning in a mobile home. When lit, secure candles in non-combustible holders, away from curtains and other flammable items.

Home Markings

Make sure your lot is clearly marked. The Fire Department will need to be able to see the numbers on your home.

Family Emergency Planning

We hope that an emergency never happens. You should, however, include your entire family in the planning process to ensure that everyone understands that in the event of a fire, there are steps that can be taken to minimize risks.

• Determine two ways of escape. The windows in your mobile home may be removable and large enough to escape. 
• Discuss and agree on what to do with a pet if fire breaks out.
• Designate a place outside where all family members can meet after escaping a fire.
• Make sure part of your plan includes taking care of people who may need special help.
• Locate the nearest place where you can call 911 and assume that your cell phone won’t be available for the call.
• Exercise the evacuation plan with the whole family including taking the pets.

In the event of a fire

In the unfortunate event of a fire, don't delay.  Take immediate action.

• If there is a fire, get out quickly. Do not attempt to take anything with you.  Stay low, crawling on the floor under the smoke to avoid toxic gases and super-heated air.
• If your clothes catch fire, don't run. Stop, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands to protect your face and lungs, and roll until you smother the flames. Remember: stop-drop-and-roll.
• Don’t tray to fight your own fire.  Let the responding firefighters do their job.
• Call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's home. Never go back into any burning structure.
• Get out quickly and stay out. Smoke and toxic fumes are the leading cause of death in fires. That's why it's so important to get out immediately and stay out.