Fire safety: Act now to protect your home and family

Fall and winter are peak seasons for home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). To protect your home this Fire Safety Prevention Week, take proactive steps to safeguard against fires, and to be sure your family is ready in case of an emergency.

Here are practical things you can do to prevent fires from starting, and to respond quickly when necessary.

Check your smoke detectors. Every fall and spring check your detectors and replace batteries annually. It's vital to have working smoke detectors on every level of your home, outside bedrooms and near the kitchen (but at least 10 feet from cooking appliances).

Schedule an electrical inspection. For older homes, or if you haven't had electrical work done for years, it's recommended to make sure your home is properly wired and up to current safety codes.

Keep a close eye on kitchen safety. The NFPA reports the kitchen as the most common place for house fires to start. Unattended cooking is a common culprit, so make sure to always closely monitor your stovetop and oven while they're in use.

Always keep a fire extinguisher handy, and make sure you and other family members know how to use it. Be prepared to use a pan lid to smother a grease fire if one should arise, as water will make it worse.

Consider kitchen appliances with built-in safety features. Some older appliances don't offer safety features that up-to-date technology has made possible. Today's electric and induction ranges are considerably safer than traditional gas ovens and stovetops, as there are no open flames, they don't produce indoor air pollution and they're not capable of causing gas leaks.

In addition, if you're concerned about your stovetop accidentally getting turned on, you can now find electric ranges and cooktops that come with a safety locking device that can stop their functions. For example, these models from LG have a built-in safety feature that prevents the burners on the cooktop from being heated when the Lock function is set, even if the touch buttons are pressed: the LG STUDIO 6.3 cubic foot InstaView^® Electric Slide-in Range with ProBake Convection^® and Air Fry (LSES6338N) and the LG 6.3 cubic foot Smart Wi-Fi Enabled ProBake Convection^® InstaView^® Electric Slide-In Range with Air Fry (LSEL6335F). It is always recommended that you read the owner's manual to ensure that you use the product as intended in the safest possible manner.

Safeguard your laundry room. Another potential area of concern for fire safety is your laundry room, specifically your clothes dryer. While you may remember to clean the lint filter, many homeowners forget about the dryer's duct. With too much lint build-up in the duct, restricted airflow can cause dryers to overheat, which could lead to a fire.

To help you remember this important chore, consider an LG Dryer that offers FlowSense^® Duct Clogging and Lint Filter Indicators with the LG ThinQ^® app — which sends you notifications when it detects a reduction in airflow, prompting you to clean the duct. Regular cleaning based on these alerts helps maintain proper ventilation, reducing risk of overheating and ensuring safer dryer operation.

Models offering this feature include the LG 7.4 cubic foot Ultra Large Capacity Smart Front Load Electric Energy Star Dryer with Sensor Dry & Steam Technology (DLEX5500W), plus larger models like the LG 9.0 cubic foot Mega Capacity Smart Wi-Fi Enabled Front Load Electric Dryer with TurboSteam™ and Built-In Intelligence (DLEX8980V) and the LG 9.0 cubic foot Mega Capacity Smart Wi-Fi Enabled Front Load Gas Dryer with TurboSteam™ and Built-In Intelligence (DLGX8901B). These dryers include the ability to access smart functions to monitor drying cycles and more through the LG ThinQ^® app.

Review your emergency plan. Make sure that everyone in your household knows what to do if a smoke detector goes off or there's a fire in progress. Hold regular family meetings to review exits from each room, and practice where to meet outside in case of emergency. This can make a difference when there are only minutes to exit your home safely.

Being proactive, choosing appliances with safety features and reviewing your emergency plan will all give you more peace of mind when it comes to fire safety this season.