Foster Home Inspection Instructions (Page 3 of 5) in pdf

10. Children will often lock themselves in the bathroom. Provisions for unlocking the doors from

the outside will facilitate rescue by other occupants or by fire department personnel.

11. An attic room, for example, accessible only by a trap door or folding ladder, would not have an

approved primary means of escape. A standard set of stairs to access the room would be

required. Spiral staircases are also inadequate.

12. Un-vented heaters that bear the mark or label of an approved testing firm and are installed in

accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and applicable safety codes are acceptable.

Some older un-vented heaters are not equipped with vents to the outside of the home. These

heaters depend on regular maintenance, proper adjustment, and an adequate air supply for

proper combustion. Un-vented heaters can release lethal carbon monoxide into the home, deplete

the oxygen levels in the home to dangerous limits, or provide an ignition source for a fire.

13. It is important to provide safeguards to protect children from the hot surfaces of heating

equipment. Children do not always understand the dangers of hot surfaces. Screens (barriers)

that prevent children from accessing heating equipment must be of closely spaced wire or

expanded metal and must be securely attached to parts of the building to prevent movement.

14. All gas appliances must be equipped with metal tubing and connectors, no rubber hoses.

15. All gas-fired heaters, including any central heating unit, should be inspected annually by a

qualified person to ensure the unit is in proper working order to prevent carbon monoxide

poisoning.

16. There should be no storage of any item that could burn (boxes, paper, clothing, wood scraps,

blankets/pillows) near stoves, heaters, fireplaces, or other sources of flame or heat, including the

gas water heater closets or other gas fired appliances.

17. All matches and or lighters must be out of the reach of children. Children playing with matches

and/or cigarette lighters cause many deaths and millions of dollars in damage each year.

18. Flammable liquids should be stored in safety cans with the lid shut to prevent vapors from

escaping.

19. There should be a five-pound portable fire extinguisher mounted on a wall in the area of the

kitchen to extinguish small fires that may develop in or on the stove.

20. Home fire escape plans are essential to enable all residents to know what to do when the

smoke alarm sounds or other signs of fire are present. Home fire escape plans must rehearsed by

all occupants each month to remain effective. The plan should enable all family members to

escape using primary or secondary exits. A safe location outside the home should be selected for

a gathering point, well away from the dangers of the fire or responding emergency vehicles.

21. Extension cords are to be used on a temporary basis only. When the cords remain plugged in,

they become part of the building wiring system. No frayed or spliced appliance cords are permitted

because of the danger of a short circuit. All unused openings in the electrical circuit breaker box

must be covered to prevent any material from coming in contact with live electrical wires.

Foster Home Inspection Instructions Page 3