Here’s Why You Should Close Your Bedroom Door at Night

Renee Hanlon

Bedroom door closed

It seems like an issue of preference. Do you leave the bedroom door open or closed? If you shut your bedroom door at night, you hear less noise and have more privacy. However, if you leave it open, there is better air circulation and you can hear what the kids are doing. But the deciding factor could be more than just personal preference. After all, there is one really good reason to close your bedroom door at night.

What happens if, while you are sleeping, something begins to smolder in your home? Logic might tell you that an open door would provide a quick getaway. Plus, who wants to take the chance of being trapped in a room with a fire outside the door? If you have any feelings of claustrophobia at all, that thought alone might leave you in a panic.

However, It sounds like many of us need to change our thinking. We aren't going to be any safer by leaving the door open. In fact, a closed door could be the one thing that actually helps you to survive a house fire.

You're probably thinking, what are the chances really that my house will burn down? Although house fires aren't super common, it's good to know what our safest options are in the event a fire does happen. Then, after we explain what the experts think, you can better decide for yourself whether you sleep with the door open or closed. 

Here is everything that you need to know about why you should probably close your door at night. 

Related: The Alarming 'Fire Challenge Trend' Is Back Again—Here's What Parents Need To Know

Should Your Bedroom Door Be Closed at Night?

The Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) says closing your door at night could, in fact, save your life in the event of a fire. The institute has even come up with a fire safety program called Close Before You Doze.

Since 2008, the FSRI has been doing extensive research analyzing the effect of doors and windows on the spread of a fire. One of the tools that they used was thermal imaging cameras. These cameras could mark the temperature of a room during a fire. Rooms with closed doors had a temperature of around 100 degrees. However, if the door was open, the room temperature shot up to 1000 degrees. This alone indicates that family members in rooms with the door closed could survive much longer—allowing for escape or rescue through a window.

Another test that they did involved measuring gas concentration levels. According to the FSRI, "The open-door bedroom measured an extremely toxic 10,000 PPM CO (parts per million of Carbon Monoxide), while the closed had approximately 100 PPM CO."

Related: Should You Travel With a Portable Carbon Monoxide Detector? 

Other Fire Prevention Tips

Employ these ideas and sleep easy at night.

  • Install smoke alarms. Put alarms outside every room to ensure that you will be alerted in the event of any smoke.

  • Watch your stovetop. Make sure that you remember to turn off burners after cooking and don't leave a pot unattended while the burner is on.

  • Plug space heaters directly into the wall. You should never use an extension cord for plugging in a space heater because the cord can't handle the voltage and could overheat and burn. Also, give space heaters ample room so that they don't come into close contact with any object.

  • Keep matches and lighters out of reach. It could be a temptation for kids to play with them and inadvertently start a fire.

Related: More Than 900,000 Pressure Cookers are Being Recalled Nationwide Due to Burn Hazards

  • Clean up ashtrays. If you have smokers in the house, make sure the ashtrays are cleaned and nothing is left smoldering.

  • Keep a fire extinguisher near the kitchen. Since it's more likely that a fire could start in the kitchen with the stovetop, a fire extinguisher in a handy spot could save the day.

  • Get rid of appliances with frayed cords or that begin to smoke. In the event of smoke, they should be unplugged immediately.

  • Have an escape plan. Although an escape plan won't prevent a fire, it does allow for an easier, safer exit or potential rescue during a fire.

  • Remember to stop, drop and roll. If your clothes catch on fire for any reason, don't run away. It's better to drop to the ground and roll.

  • Crawl under the smoke. If you are in a situation where you need to escape through smoke, crawl instead of walk. The concentration of smoke will be lower toward the ground.

Next Up: Mom Shares Urgent Warning About Furniture Safety After 'Huge Wake-Up Call'

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