Keeping Your Bedroom Doors Closed At Night May Save Your Life

This may sound like a precaution not to get attacked by robbers or burglars, but it is far from it. Even if your house is as fortified as Fort Knox, you would nevertheless have to close the bedroom door before turning in for the night.



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No one expects their house to be on fire, that is the reason fire alarms are important at home. They alert you, but most houses with fire alarm may be nonfunctional; batteries are dead. These are one of the most overlooked safety gadgets at home. The reason is simple, no one expects a fire at their home till it happens. Most houses, especially in Africa may just lack one. But a simple closed bedroom door may be the difference between life and death in the event of a fire.

Our Modern House; Our Flammable House

The fire could easily get out of control in modern houses within five minutes. This is due to modern furniture which can be as flammable as the petrol. Add to the mix a petrol stored in gallons, and you have yourself a ticking time bomb!



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Today, house fires easily get out of control in less than five minutes of its occurrence compared to the houses in the sixties when it takes about half an hour. That means today to survive a house fire you have to be more proactive.

In the past, open floor spaces in homes are small, but now the spaces are big. That provides no obstruction to the fire, and it spreads rapidly.

Knock Knock

A closed door may not seem like much during a home fire, but researchers have proven that it has a significant effect on the overall outcome. This research was done by the Underwriters Laboratories Fire Safety Research Institute, an independent fire research team, showed that this small act of closing the doors has a big impact on fire.

During a fire, an open door room has a temperature of above 1000 °F, compared to a closed room, the temperature was significantly lower at 100°F. A burning fire requires oxygen to continue, closing the door starves the fire of oxygen.

There is even a more serious danger apart from fire and accompanying heat; the smoke. The toxic smoke from burning household devices, especially from plastic products, could easily suffocate someone sleeping with the bedroom door open as the smoke would have no hindrance whatsoever. Smoke inhalation is still the major cause of death in home fires.

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Having an adequate fire exit, coupled with an escape plan and your bedroom doors close increases immensely your chance of getting out of the fire alive.

Always remember to close your door tonight. Thank you.

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