December 21, 2024, 3:06 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Open or closed bedroom door? Everyone who sleeps prefers one or the other. However, it is actually recommended to close the door when sleeping. What’s behind this?
The US Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) has discovered in a study that people prefer to sleep with their bedroom door open. However, this sleeping habit can be fatal if a fire breaks out in your home. Therefore, it is recommended to sleep with the bedroom door closed.
Overview
Does a Closed Bedroom Door Really Protect Against Fire?
A closed door can help slow the spread of flames, maintain better oxygen levels in the room, and reduce the temperature. The increased use of highly flammable plastics in house construction, furniture, and decoration, in particular, means that fires spread more quickly these days. This underscores the importance of containing the flames to the greatest extent possible. For this reason, the FSRI’s campaign ‘Close before you doze’ emphasizes the critical practice of closing bedroom doors before going to sleep.
Carsten Wege, Managing Director of the Bundesverband Brandschutz-Fachbetriebe e. V. (BVBF) confirmed to myHOMEBOOK that closed bedroom doors and doors, in general, can be very helpful in the event of a fire: “Closed doors and windows generally delay the spread of fire and smoke to neighboring rooms.” This also applies in principle to children’s rooms. However, there is an exception when it comes to small children – then the doors can remain open. In the event of a room fire, Schulz advises that all open windows and doors should be promptly closed.
How Can You Spot Fires with Closed Doors?
If the doors are closed, fires may initially go undetected. But there is a way to spot a fire anyway. “If the doors are closed, you should feel the heat developing on the door. Schulz explains to myHOMEBOOK that it’s only safe to open a door that isn’t hot to the touch if doing so doesn’t pose a personal risk, depending on how the fire is progressing.
How Can You Prevent a Fire at Home?
The BVBF reports that one in every four fire department responses involves a private household. The most common causes of fires are carelessness and a lack of caution. Preventive measures are, therefore, particularly important to prevent fires. Pay attention to the following things:
- De-energize electrical appliances. To do this, pull out the plugs or switch them off.
- Do not overload multiple sockets.
- Always switch off power strips using the switch if they are not in use.
- Install smoke detectors in every room – this is already mandatory in many federal states.
- Each household should have at least one functioning fire extinguisher within easy reach.
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What to Do if There Is a Fire at Home?
Despite best efforts, preventive measures may not always safeguard against a fire. It is, therefore, just as important to act correctly in the event of a fire. The fire department offers the following recommendations:
- React quickly: Fight a fire immediately, if this is possible. Otherwise, get to safety quickly.
- If possible, move burning appliances outside: If an electronic device catches fire, unplug it and move it outside – but only if the extent of the fire still allows this and it would not put you in danger.
- Alert the fire department: Call the fire department immediately. When the emergency services arrive, draw attention to yourself and tell the firefighters exactly where the fire is.
- Cut off the air supply: Close windows and doors to prevent air from entering. Do not lock them under any circumstances, however, as this would prevent or impede access for the fire department and other rescue services.
- Do not use the elevators: In the event of a fire, take the stairs.
- Do not use the stairwell if there is extreme smoke: If there is a fire in another apartment and you want to use the stairwell to get to safety, only do so if it is not extremely smoky. Otherwise, return to your home and close it and the windows carefully.
- Stop people on fire and extinguish them properly: If people catch fire, try to stop them from running away – without putting yourself in danger, of course! Instead, grab a fire extinguisher, blanket, or jacket and try to smother the fire. Important: Avoid patting out the flames, as this can drive soot particles into the skin. Additionally, never aim the fire extinguisher at someone’s face.
- Assistance in case of fire: As long as the source of an initial fire is clearly visible, you must attempt to rescue people at risk. It may also be possible to attempt to extinguish the fire afterward.