The Insurance Insider

Many of us have believed that having smoke detectors in the home will save us and our children should a fire occur. The video below provides shocking evidence that standard smoke detectors may be ineffective in waking children as they sleep…

Having smoke detectors that integrate parents voices telling their children that there is a fire in the house seems to be more effective. Of course, I recommend smoke detectors and a family escape plan for every residence. However, it appears we all should reexamine which types of detectors are most effective.

While you’re considering the many features of that new apartment, townhouse, or condo, take the time to consider building safety before you rent. Can the structure sustain damage by wind, fire, or flood?  Renters insurance can cover the loss to your property, but your life is considerably more valuable.

(NewsUSA) - In December 2004, a fire destroyed three townhouses and damaged a fourth in Lorton, Va., just south of the nation’s capital. Investigators later determined that faulty wiring had sparked the blaze.

Raul Castillo, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, said that fire marshals digging through the rubble uncovered an anomaly in the internal wiring at the back of one of the townhouses. This launched the fire, which spread to the adjacent townhouses.

Two firefighters were hurt, one burned, while navigating the smoky townhouses in the pre-dawn darkness. Seven adults were left homeless by the fire, which marshals estimate caused at least $800,000 in damage.

To avoid such a disaster, the National Concrete Masonry Association advises that you evaluate a building’s fire safety when you rent or buy a home in a multi-family dwelling, or if you are planning to lodge somewhere overnight or house your loved ones in college dormitories or nursing facilities. Buildings should contain these three components of a balanced fire-safety design: smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and concrete masonry walls between housing units. These elements, working in concert, provide the highest levels of safety and property protection.

Find out if the building’s walls and floors also are constructed of concrete and concrete masonry. Concrete masonry helps keep fire from spreading and does not produce smoke or generate toxic fumes. The NCMA recommends that you urge local building-code officials to ensure that multi-family homes adhere to the principles of a balanced fire-safety design, including non-combustible concrete masonry construction.

For more information on a balanced design for fire safety, go to http://www.ncma.org.

Masonry structures are well known for their ability to sustain damage caused by natural disasters.  Masonry building Inhabitants will also enjoy reduced rates on their homeowners insurance as well.