How to Fireproof Your Home
Singapore is a relatively safe environment, making it easy to overlook fire safety in our homes. After all, residential fires might seem like something that happens to others, not us. However, it's always wise to be prepared and take preventive measures to protect our loved ones and property.
While the number of residential fires has reduced significantly in the last 10 years—from almost 3,000 in 2014 to 970 in 2024—it’s always good to familiarise ourselves with fire hazards in our homes.
By identifying potential fire hazards and taking simple preventive fireproofing steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of fire in your home. Let's explore some common fire hazards and learn how to create a safer living space for you and your family.
Common Fire Hazards in Your Home
1. Electrical Appliances
Faulty wiring, overloaded electrical outlets, and unattended appliances can all pose significant fire hazards. Everyday items like mobile phone chargers and personal mobility devices (PMDs) can also overheat and potentially explode if left plugged in for extended periods or if they have faulty batteries.
To minimise electrical fire risks:
- Schedule regular electrical inspections by qualified professionals.
- Avoid overloading power strips and extension cords.
- Unplug appliances when not in use.
- Replace damaged or frayed wires promptly.
- Be mindful of heat build-up in electronic devices.
2. Kitchen Fire Risks
The kitchen is a common area for fires to start, often due to unattended cooking. According to a 2023 Fire and Enforcement Statistics report by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), unattended cooking remains a leading cause of home fires.
Tips for kitchen fire safety:
- Never leave cooking unattended.
- Ensure proper ventilation while cooking.
- Keep flammable materials away from the stove.
- Control oil temperatures to prevent splattering and ignition.
- Regularly check gas stoves and cylinders for leaks.
3. Open Flames
Open flames from candles, incense, or even discarded cigarette butts can easily ignite nearby flammable materials, leading to fires.
To reduce risks associated with open flames:
- Use electric candle warmers instead of traditional candles with exposed flames.
- Burn incense in designated holders on heat-resistant surfaces, away from flammable materials.
- Ensure cigarette butts are fully extinguished and disposed of properly in ashtrays.
- Cover your ashtray in between smokes and douse the ash and cigarette butts with water before throwing them out.
Ensuring Fire Safety in Your Home: Essential Steps
1. Install Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms are your first line of defence in a fire. Install them strategically throughout your home, especially in areas with high electrical usage, such as the living room, bedrooms, and kitchen. Consider placing smoke alarms in bedrooms and areas near your kitchen and major appliances like washing machines and dryers, as these can also pose electrical and cooking fire risks from overuse.
Replace batteries as needed to ensure they are always in working order.
2. Fire Extinguishers and Fire Kits
If a small fire breaks out in your home, a fire extinguisher will come in handy so it does not escalate. And even if the fire does spin out of control, you’d have bought some time to get your family to safety before SCDF arrives.
Fire extinguishers come in different types, each designed for specific fire classes:
| Type | Colour Label | Nozzle Type | Best For |
| Water Extinguisher | Red/Clear Label | Short, conical nozzle | Class A fires (flammable objects like wood, paper, and cloth) |
| Dry Powder Extinguisher | Blue Label | Short, tubular nozzle | Versatile for all fire classes except cooking oils |
| CO2 Extinguisher | Black Label | Long, tubular nozzle | Electrical fires and some Class B fires (flammable liquids) |
For home use, a dry powder extinguisher is generally recommended due to its versatility in handling various types of fires. Keep it in an easily accessible location, such as a storeroom or near the kitchen, so you can quickly grab it in an emergency.
As an added safety measure, consider investing in a Fire Kit. These kits typically include a smoke detector, a fire extinguisher, and a fire blanket, providing comprehensive fire safety tools for your home.
3. Create a Fire Escape Plan
Having a well-defined fire escape plan is crucial for ensuring the safety of everyone in your household. For HDB apartments, this can simply mean making sure all family members are accounted for before taking the stairs down. Condominiums also have fire safety routes designated by the MCST, so take note of approved exits and assembly points.
If you’re living on a landed property, you can create a plan that includes clear evacuation routes from each room, a designated meeting spot outside the house, and a system for accounting for everyone. Practice the escape plan from time to time with your family, especially with young children, to ensure everyone knows what to do in case of a fire.
How Income's Home Insurance Can Protect You
Fortunately, HDB flats in Singapore come with basic fire insurance coverage provided by the HDB, and privately owned condos have some level of coverage through their Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST). Landed properties, on the other hand, typically have no pre-existing fire insurance coverage.
In any case, having an extra layer of protection is always a good idea. Home insurance can supplement your existing coverage, helping with repair and replacement costs in the event of a fire. This can provide valuable financial support during a stressful time, allowing you to focus on rebuilding your home and restoring normalcy for your family.
Income Insurance offers two comprehensive home insurance plans—Enhanced Home Insurance and Ultimate Home Protect—that help to safeguard your home, your family, and your valuable possessions from unforeseen events.
Both plans cover damages caused by fire, helping with repairs and replacements for your belongings. Here's a closer look at their coverage:
| Enhanced Home Insurance | Ultimate Home Protect | |
| Property Coverage |
Standard coverage for your building1, renovations2, and home contents3, covering damages and losses caused by insured events such as fire4, burst pipes5, theft6, and more. |
All-risks coverage for your building1, renovations2, and home contents3, offering wider coverage for damages and losses arising from any accident not specifically excluded, such as fires4, floods, and more. |
| Family Liability | Up to $500,000 family worldwide liability7. | Up to $2,000,000 family worldwide liability7. |
| Emergency Home Assistance |
Complimentary 24/7 Emergency Home Assistance Service8 for plumbing, electrician, locksmith, pest control, and air-conditioner repair services. This service is limited to 4 times a year9 and up to $100 per incident. |
Complimentary 24/7 Emergency Home Assistance Service8 for plumbing, electrician, locksmith, pest control, and air-conditioner repair services. This service is limited to 4 times a year9 and up to $250 per incident. |
| Add-On Coverage | N/A |
Worldwide personal belongings Specific items covered at full value10 for your valuables. |
Secure Your Home in the Event of a Fire
Knowing how to fireproof your home is a crucial step towards protecting your loved ones and your belongings. By taking preventive measures and securing adequate insurance coverage, you can create a safe haven for your family and enjoy peace of mind.
Take proactive steps in fire prevention and consider Income's Home Insurance plans to secure your sanctuary and provide financial security for your family.
1 Building means the following:
For Housing Development Board (HDB) flats, condominiums, apartments or cluster houses, it will include the building structure (but not the foundations), fixtures and fittings based on HDB’s or the property developer’s standard specifications. This means we will not cover areas you do not own or which are not provided just for your use. For example, this can include shared areas such as corridors, car parks, stairways, lift lobbies and swimming pools.
For landed properties such as bungalows, semi-detached and terrace houses, it will include the building structure (but not the foundations), garages, outbuildings, swimming pools, terraces, footpaths, driveways, gardens, gates, fences and other private areas you own and which the public do not have access to.
2 Renovations means improvements and additions made within the premises by you or any previous owner or tenant in the form of fixtures and fittings. For example, this could include flooring, built-in wardrobes and kitchen cabinets. They do not form part of the building cover.
3 Contents means any physical and movable household items or personal belongings including money, valuables, bicycles, and personal mobility devices, kept within the premises that belong to you or your family members. Exclusions apply. Please refer to the policy contract for the exclusions and the benefit sub-limits for each type of content.
4 Fire is an insured event.
5 Bursting or overflowing of domestic water tanks, apparatus or pipes in your premises (but not damage to water tanks, apparatus and pipes and expenses for tracing the source of the leak). The premises must not be left unoccupied. Unoccupied means when the premises have not been lived in by you, or by a person authorised by you, for more than 60 days in a row.
6 Actual or attempted theft as long as force and violence are used to get into or out of the premises. You must not leave the premises unoccupied. Unoccupied means when the premises have not been lived in by you, or by a person authorised by you, for more than 60 days in a row.
7 You or your family members respectively must be a resident of or working in Singapore. Otherwise, we will only pay when the above legal responsibility results from your ownership or tenancy of the premise.
8 Income has arranged for our appointed Emergency Home Assistance provider to assist policyholders with the search for emergency plumbing, electrician, locksmith, pest control and air-conditioner repair services 24/7, subject to policy conditions. This is a complimentary service provided to you. It does not form part of the benefit provided under the policy contract. Income reserves the right to amend or discontinue the services at any time at its sole discretion without notice.
9 A year means each 12-month period from the start of policy.
10 Specific items covered at full value means the personal belongings which are covered either within your premises or worldwide or the contents which are covered within your premises, up to their respective full replacement values, as shown in the schedule.
This article is meant purely for informational purposes and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, solicitation or advise to buy or sell any product(s). It should not be relied upon as financial advice. The precise terms, conditions and exclusions of any Income Insurance products mentioned are specified in their respective policy contracts. Please seek independent financial advice before making any decision.
These policies are protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). Coverage for your policy is automatic and no further action is required from you. For more information on the types of benefits that are covered under the scheme as well as the limits of coverage, where applicable, please contact Income Insurance or visit the GIA/LIA or SDIC websites (www.gia.org.sg or www.lia.org.sg or www.sdic.org.sg).
This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
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