Basic protection

Facts about home fire protection

The most important thing in a fire is that it is detected as early as possible. At night, we are particularly vulnerable as smoke can spread while we sleep. Therefore, there must be smoke alarms in the dwelling, and they must be placed so that the alarm can be clearly heard from the bedrooms.

The smoke alarm warns, but it does not extinguish the fire. Therefore, the home should also have an easily accessible fire extinguisher and a fire blanket. For a typical dwelling, a powder extinguisher of at least 6 kg and a fire blanket of at least 120 × 180 centimetres are usually recommended.

Fire protection equipment should not be hidden deep inside a cupboard or placed where a fire could prevent you from reaching it. The equipment needs to be visible, easily accessible, and known to all adults and older children in the home.

Earlier detection saves lives

Smoke alarm – the home's most important warning system

The smoke alarm's task is to detect smoke and warn residents before the situation becomes life-threatening. An early alarm provides more time to wake others, leave the dwelling, call 112, and in some cases, extinguish a smaller fire.

How many smoke alarms are needed?

There should be at least one smoke alarm on each floor. The smoke alarm's monitoring area should not normally exceed 60 square meters, and the distance between two smoke alarms should not be greater than 12 meters.

In larger dwellings and multi-storey homes, interconnected smoke alarms can provide better protection. When one of them detects smoke, all interconnected smoke alarms start to sound, which means that a fire on, for example, the ground floor is noticed faster in the bedrooms on the upper floor.

Where should the smoke alarm be placed?

• Place the smoke alarm on the ceiling, preferably in the middle of the room.
• Maintain at least 50 centimetres distance from walls, lamps, ventilation openings, and other objects.
• Place smoke alarms in or near bedrooms so that the alarm can be heard when doors are closed.
• Have a smoke alarm in rooms where phones or other electrical equipment are charged at night.
• Preferably place a smoke alarm near the kitchen, but normally not directly in the kitchen or bathroom where cooking fumes and steam can cause unnecessary alarms.
• Always follow the manufacturer's installation instructions.

If ceiling mounting is not possible, some smoke alarms can be mounted on a wall, about 15 centimetres from the ceiling. However, wall placement may mean that it takes longer for the smoke alarm to react.

Test the smoke alarm every month

Test the smoke alarm by pressing the test button. This checks the smoke alarm's function and not just the battery. The smoke alarm should be tested:

• at least once a month
• when a new smoke alarm has been installed
• after battery replacement
• after a long period of absence
• after cleaning.

If the smoke alarm does not sound during the test, the battery should be checked and replaced if necessary. If a battery replacement does not help, the entire smoke alarm needs to be replaced.

A dirty smoke alarm can become more sensitive and start alarming without clear reason. Clean it about once a year by carefully vacuuming around the openings with a soft brush. The outside can be wiped with a slightly damp cloth.

Extinguish while the fire is small

Fire extinguisher – choose an extinguisher that suits your home

A fire extinguisher can give you the opportunity to limit or extinguish a fire before it has grown large. For apartments, houses, and holiday homes, a powder extinguisher of at least 6 kg is usually recommended.

Powder has a high extinguishing effect relative to the amount of extinguishing agent and can be used against several types of fires that may occur in a home. An extinguisher for a dwelling should at least be classified for fires in solid organic materials and flammable liquids, i.e., fire class A and B.

Place the fire extinguisher so you can reach it

The fire extinguisher should be visible and easily accessible. A suitable placement can be in the hallway near an exit. It should not be behind boxes, clothes, or other objects that make it difficult to find.

In a multi-storey house, the recommendation is to have a fire extinguisher on each floor. This reduces the risk that stairs or a fire prevent you from reaching the extinguisher.

Check the extinguisher regularly

• Check that the pressure gauge needle is within the green area.
• Check that the hose is intact and has no cracks.
• Ensure that the safety pin and seal are still in place.
• Check that the container is not rusty, dented, or damaged.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for inspection, service, and lifespan.

A fire extinguisher that has been used should be submitted for inspection and refilling, even if only a small amount of extinguishing agent has been sprayed out.

How to use a powder extinguisher

1. Pull the safety pin. Release the hose and prepare the extinguisher for use.
2. Keep your distance. Do not stand closer to the fire than necessary and ensure you still have a clear escape route.
3. Crouch down. Heat and smoke rise. Stay as low as possible without putting yourself in danger.
4. Aim at the base of the flames. Press the handle and sweep the stream across the burning area.
5. Stop if the fire grows. Evacuate and close the door behind you if the fire is intense or a lot of smoke is produced.

Smothers smaller fires

Fire blanket – an important complement to the fire extinguisher

A fire blanket is used to smother smaller fires by cutting off oxygen. It is a complement to the fire extinguisher and is suitable for smaller fires on the stove, in furniture, or in clothes, among other things.

The fire blanket should be at least 120 × 180 centimetres. This size makes it easier to cover a fire and is large enough to cover a large part of an adult if their clothes start to burn.

Where should the fire blanket be stored?

Store the fire blanket visibly and easily accessible, preferably in or near the kitchen where many residential fires start. However, do not place it directly above or next to the stove. If there is a fire on the stove, you must be able to reach the fire blanket without reaching over the flames.

How to use the fire blanket

• Pull the fire blanket out of its case.
• Protect your hands by holding the straps and folding the edge of the blanket over your hands.
• Approach the fire calmly without waving the blanket.
• Firmly place the blanket over what is burning. Do not throw it through the air.
• Gently press on top of the blanket so that it seals tightly and smothers the fire.
• Leave the blanket in place until the object has cooled completely.

If someone's clothes are on fire

Try to get the person to lie down so that the flames do not reach their face. Place the fire blanket over the person, starting at the head and working downwards. Make sure the blanket seals tightly and press gently on top.

When the blanket is later removed, it should be lifted from bottom to top. This reduces the risk of remaining flames flaring up towards the person's face.

Extra protection in the kitchen

Stove guard – can cut power before a fire occurs

Many fires in homes start on or near the stove. A pot can be left behind, a burner can be left on, or a flammable object can accidentally be placed on a hot cooking zone.

A stove guard is a technical device that monitors the stove. If the system detects a situation that poses a fire risk, it can alarm or cut the power to the stove before a fire can develop.

A stove guard is more advanced than a regular stove timer. A timer normally cuts the power after a set time, while an acceptable stove guard can detect fire hazards in other ways, for example, by reacting to an abnormal temperature development.

Protection around the fireplace

Fire protection boards – protect flammable surfaces from heat

A fire protection board is a heat-resistant board used to protect walls, floors, ceilings, or other surfaces near a fireplace or stove. The board creates a protective layer between the fireplace and materials that could otherwise be affected by the heat.

The type of board and construction needed depends, among other things, on the model of the fireplace, the manufacturer's instructions, the distance to flammable material, and how walls and floors are constructed.

A fire protection board does not automatically mean that a stove can be placed closer to a wall than specified in the installation instructions. The stove's safety distance and the requirements of the finished construction must still be followed.

Prevent before something happens

Common fire risks in the home

Why do fires occur in the home?

Residential fires often occur in connection with everyday activities. Cooking, candles, electrical equipment, smoking, and burning in a stove or open fireplace are examples of situations where a fire can start.

The risk increases when a heat source is left unattended, electrical equipment is damaged, or flammable material is placed too close to a stove, fireplace, lamp, or heater.

Fire safety in the kitchen

Do not leave the kitchen when frying or deep-frying. Keep the hob clear of paper, packaging, pot holders, and other flammable objects. Also, clean the stove and kitchen fan regularly, as grease and food residues can contribute to fire spread.

• Stay nearby when the stove is in use.
• Keep the hob clear of flammable objects.
• Clean grease filters and extractor fan regularly.
• Check that the stove is turned off after cooking.
• Consider a stove guard if someone in the household is prone to forgetting the stove.
• Store the fire blanket in a place that can be reached without passing the stove.

Safe burning in a fireplace and open hearth

Use dry wood that is cut and split to an appropriate size. Always follow the fireplace's instruction manual regarding wood quantity, air supply, and burning time. The Swedish Fire Protection Association recommends as a general guideline a maximum of approximately 2–3 kilograms of wood per hour, unless the fireplace's instructions state otherwise.

The fire should burn with clear and lively flames. Smouldering with too little air results in poorer combustion and can contribute to deposits in the fireplace and flue.

The smoke from the chimney should be clear or almost transparent once the fire has started. Dark smoke may indicate incomplete combustion, too damp wood, or incorrect burning.

• Only use fuel for which the fireplace is intended.
• Burn dry wood and follow the manufacturer's recommended wood quantity.
• Ensure the fire receives sufficient combustion air.
• Keep flammable objects at a safe distance from the fireplace.
• Do not leave an open fire unattended.
• Ensure that chimney sweeping and fire safety inspections are carried out according to applicable intervals.

Fire risk with ash

Ash can contain glowing embers long after the fire appears to have gone out. Therefore, never empty warm ash into a plastic container, paper bag, cardboard box, or regular rubbish bin.

Place soot and ash in a metal bucket with a tight-fitting lid. Place the bucket on a non-combustible and fire-safe surface, away from house walls, wooden decks, firewood, waste containers, and anything else that can catch fire.

Allow the ash to cool for a sufficiently long time before further handling. Do not assume it is safe just because the surface feels cold.

Candles

Candles should always be supervised. Extinguish them when you leave the room, even if you only plan to be away for a short while.

• Use sturdy candle holders made of non-flammable material.
• Place candles on a non-combustible surface.
• Keep a distance from curtains, decorations, plants, and other flammable objects.
• Do not let children or pets get access to lit candles.
• Avoid flammable decorations in candle holders.
• Use battery-operated candles where lit candles cannot be safely supervised.

Charging batteries and electric scooters

Lithium-ion batteries are used in mobile phones, computers, electric bikes, and electric scooters, among other things. The batteries are normally safe when used correctly, but damage, incorrect chargers, high temperatures, or technical faults can lead to a fire risk.

• Use a CE-marked charger that is intended for the product.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for charging and storage.
• Charge on a hard and non-combustible or difficult-to-ignite surface.
• Do not charge in a bed, sofa, or armchair.
• Preferably charge when you are at home and awake.
• Have a working smoke detector nearby.
• Do not use chargers, cables, or batteries that are damaged, discolored, unusually warm, or smell burnt.
• Avoid charging or storing an electric bicycle or electric scooter in the hallway or any other escape route.
• If possible, store batteries for smaller electric vehicles outside the dwelling itself in a suitable and safe place.

If a battery has been dropped, squeezed, punctured, or subjected to other strong impact, it should not be charged until it has been deemed safe. Stop charging if the battery becomes abnormally hot, swells, starts to smoke, make noise, or emit an unusual smell.

Family evacuation plan

An evacuation plan does not have to be complicated. The most important thing is that everyone knows how to get out, which alternative route can be used, and where the family should gather.

• Check that exterior doors and windows that can be used for evacuation can be opened.
• Store keys so that adults can quickly reach them, but in a safe manner.
• Plan an alternative escape route from bedrooms and upstairs.
• Decide who will help small children or people who need support.
• Choose an outdoor meeting point, for example, by a tree, a fence, or a mailbox at a safe distance.
• Ensure that no one goes back inside after evacuation.

Practice with children

Go through the plan with the children in a calm manner. Let them show how they would get from the bedroom to the exit and then to the meeting point.

Practice crawling low under imaginary smoke, feeling for where the door is, and shouting for help. The exercise should be simple and safe, not dramatic.

Check that the children can state their first and last names, their address, and that the emergency number is 112. Also, explain that they should answer the operator's questions and not hang up until they are told to do so.

Common mistakes many people make

Go through your home

Fire safety checklist for the whole home