Here’s Why You Should Be Sleeping With Your Bedroom Door Closed

When we take precautions against house fires, they usually entail smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and an escape plan. But how many of us have thought about the bedroom door for protection?

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the majority of fire-related deaths are not caused by burns, but by smoke inhalation. Within minutes, a fire can ignite, and smoke fumes can fill up a home, causing oxygen loss, respiratory distress, and organ damage.

Sadly, if someone is asleep during a fire, that can shorten the time they have to escape flames or fumes. Experts say that sleeping with your door shut can make a huge difference in surviving a house fire.

To demonstrate, the Today show’s Jeff Rossen did a segment that details the difference between a closed door and open door during a real fire. Using a makeshift home, a fire was set in the living room and left to burn for minutes to simulate how a barrier would work.

You’ll notice that smoke is slow to seep into the room with the closed door, while the room that’s open has smoke pouring into it. Listen carefully as it is explained how hot the temperature is outside the closed door.

Fire experts urge people to sleep with their bedroom doors shut in an effort to buy time or save their own lives. It is advised to have smoke alarms installed outside of the sleeping areas of the home, and if possible, inside each room too.

When minutes count to survive a fire, this one move can give you the time you need to escape or call for help. Keep watching to see the final outcome of the rooms affected in this fire safety video!

Were you aware that closing a door could save a life during a fire? Do you sleep with the doors open or closed? Did you know that smoke inhalation is the number killer in a house fire?