A fire safety expert explains why this small nightly task can save you and your loved ones in an emergency.
While everyone has unique sleeping preferences, some are formed subconsciously during childhood. For example, if you were raised in a home where it was the norm to close the bedroom doors at night, you likely do it as an adult without much thought. But whether you’ve realized it or not, this habit can be life-saving in the case of fire. So if you haven't already been shutting the door when you sleep, consider this your sign to start. patio doors cost
We sat down with Jennifer Williams, the research amplification lead at the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), to discuss why taking an extra second to close doors before bedtime is critical. The statistics are eye-opening, and hopefully enough to motivate you never to skip this nightly “closing shift” task. Williams also shared other nighttime fire safety tips to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Williams explains that 50% of home fire deaths occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.—the period when the average person sleeps. If you’ve ever been jolted awake in the middle of a deep slumber, whether by a smoke alarm, a bad dream, or a needy dog, you know firsthand how disoriented you can feel for the first minute or so. According to Williams, research shows that people have an average of three minutes or less (especially if a lithium battery started the fire) to escape a spreading house fire. In other words, every second matters, and it’s human nature to lose some of them between rubbing your sleepy eyes and reacting to the situation.
“We see time and time again the difference a closed door can make,” says Williams. Per FSRI’s Close Before You Doze campaign, a shut door can slow the spread of the fire by cutting off its oxygen supply. This small action can equate to a 900-degree difference between a room with its door closed and one with it opened. A shut door can also keep carbon monoxide levels at 1,000 PPM versus 10,000 PPM in an open room.
A closed door creates a barrier between you and the dangerous heat and smoke, giving you a little more time and protection to gather yourself and get out, says Williams. Speaking of escaping, she emphasized how vital it is to have a plan. Plan A should be to escape the room through the door (shutting it behind you) and meet family members at a predetermined spot outside.
If you open the door and cannot see your way out, plan B would be to escape through the window. If that’s not possible, plan C is to stay behind the closed door and call for help. Williams notes that the average fire department response time is six minutes from dispatch. Keeping the door shut can give you a few extra crucial minutes while they’re on their way. While closing bedroom doors before sleeping should be part of your nightly routine, Williams advises to take it a step further and close all the doors in the house. This way, if the fire starts in one room where no one is sleeping, it will isolate it and slow down the spread, making it safer for your family to escape and for firefighters to rescue you.
Still unconvinced about closing your doors at night? FSRI released a demonstration video, See the Dramatic Difference a Door Can Make, that may seal the deal for you. According to Williams, 68% of people who learned about the Close Before You Doze campaign changed their behaviors and began shutting doors, even if they hadn’t in the past.
modern exterior doors In addition to shutting doors while you sleep, Williams provided some other important dos and don’ts that will further protect you and your family.