Safety

A fire detector is mainly for the safety of you and your neighbours, but installing a fire detector is also a legal requirement. The person who occupies the apartment is responsible for obtaining a fire detector.

The fire detector should be installed on the ceiling of the hallway outside the bedroom. You must have at least two fire detectors for each 60 square metres of floor space or part thereof. For example, a 65-square-metre apartment must have at least two fire detectors. In a home that is on two floors, you need a fire detector on both floors. Remember to replace the batteries in fire detectors yearly. Do not use a fire detector that is more than 10 years old.

The law also requires that the person who occupies a home must keep the fire detectors in working condition. The condition of fire detectors should be inspected monthly to ensure that they work properly and will warn you of a fire. A fire blanket is also a highly recommended fire extinguishing tool. You should have one at hand in the kitchen and other areas that have a high risk of fire.

Fire detectors come pre-installed in the apartments of new residential buildings. The apartments in buildings completed in 2008 or later have fixed fire detectors that are connected to the electrical network. If your apartment has a fixed fire detector, you do not need to get a fire detector of your own. The detector must not be removed or covered, and you must inspect its condition monthly by pushing the testing button. If the fire detector makes a sound, you know it is working correctly. If the device does not emit the test sound, you need to contact the maintenance company and submit a fault report.

Due to the new Rescue Act, from 2026 onwards Lumo residents will no longer have to purchase, install and maintain their own fire detectors. Instead, the property will be responsible for their installation and replacement. However, residents will still be required to regularly test and clean the fire detectors installed in their home and report any faults to the maintenance company.

No open fires, including small candles, should be left unsupervised. Remind children of the danger involved with playing with matches. You can practice how to light a fire with children, but matches and lighters should be kept out of their reach. Do not keep combustible substances in your apartment.

Textiles, furniture cushions and home electronics are inflammable and they burn quickly. When positioning lamps, it is important to ensure that they do not fall on textiles or furniture.

A fire that starts on the cooker in the kitchen can easily spread into the extractor hood and the duct above it. When you cook, keep in mind that overheated grease can easily catch fire. Grease fires must be put out by placing on a metal lid, rug or fire blanket on the fire, never with water. In the kitchen, it is also good to consider the positioning of the toaster. Watch If's video on how the location of a toaster can pose a fire hazard.

No items should be stored in the stairwells. They must be stored in your apartment or storage facilities for outdoor equipment and baby carriages. Belongings in stairwells create a fire safety risk and, in the event of a fire, toxic smoke and prevent the unrestricted evacuation of the residents in the event of fire. Additionally, all belongings may be kept away from the passageways and corridors of storage rooms. All belongings must be placed inside the personal storage.

Keep in mind that having home insurance of your own is the only way you will get compensated for damaged or lost property in the event of a fire, break-in or accident.

Lithium-ion batteries used in rechargeable electrical appliances can cause a fire if they overheat, and today as many as six out of ten fires start from an electrical appliance. Battery fires are difficult to extinguish, and a burning battery produces toxic gas, making battery fires particularly dangerous.

When charging the equipment, special attention must be paid to safety in order to avoid dangerous situations. Remember to monitor the charging of your devices and unplug the charger when you are not using it. Use chargers from reliable manufacturers and only charge your devices in a place where there are no flammable materials near. If your device is overheating, leaking, the battery is bulging or it smells strange, stop using the device immediately. Also remember to make sure you have a working fire detector in your home.

Watch If's video on safe charging and battery fire safety.

Pay special attention to the charging of rechargeable vehicles, such as electric bikes and scooters. Electric vehicles may not be charged in the storage room - batteries must be disconnected and charged inside your apartment. Consider the safest place in your home for charging. There should be no flammable material near the charging point, and the charging point should not be an emergency exit from your home. Check out If's illustrative video on fire safety for electric vehicles.

Household fires in electric saunas are often caused by clothes and towels left on the stove to dry or accidentally dropped. Drying textiles on or in the immediate surroundings of the stove is prohibited. No drying racks should be installed in the sauna, as clothes dropped on the stove can cause a fire. When switching on the sauna and leaving the sauna, ensure there are no flammable objects on or near the sauna stove. Using the sauna as a storage room is a fire safety risk.

In home saunas, attention should also be paid to the risks of prolonged stove operation, the condition of the thermostat and timer switches, and the correct installation of the stove and ventilation.

Depending on the building, smoking is allowed either only on the apartment's private balcony or only in a designated smoking area. If you are allowed to smoke in the private balcony, please provide an ashtray with a lid to prevent ash from flying onto the balcony below.

Two out of three accidents happen at home. Being in a rush and, unfortunately, alcohol consumption cause many unnecessary accidents at home. The most common accidents at home include falling, slipping and stumbling.

If necessary, you can install grab bars, a shower seat or a raised toilet seat to improve the safety of the apartment, especially for elderly residents. Contact us through the My Lumo service if you are planning these types of alterations.

Falls involving children and pets can be prevented by using the safety latches on windows and keeping the balcony door closed. Burns suffered by young children can be avoided by having tip-over protection for the cooker and a child lock for the oven door.

• Get a fire detector for your apartment.
• Learn how to extinguish small fires correctly.
• Do not leave any open fires unattended, including candles. Even an outdoor candle on your balcony or a tealight can start a fire.
• Close your doors and windows – including the balcony – when you leave the apartment.
• Use the safety latches on your windows.
• In winter, keep the area in front of the door clear of ice and apply grit to the area when necessary.

• Keep medicines in locked cabinets, but leave adhesive bandages and other dressing materials within everyone’s reach.
• Take expired or unused medicines to the pharmacy.
• Make sure the power sockets are equipped with outlet covers.
• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
• Keep alcohol and tobacco products out of the reach of children.
• Many ordinary household plants and garden plants can be toxic when consumed.
• Keep detergents, chemicals and hazardous waste in a locked cleaning cabinet.
• Provide children with safe areas to play outdoors.