Leading Causes of Home Fires

11/22/2019 (Permalink)

Faulty wiring can cause a home fire

Most Common Causes of House Fires

A home fire is something no one wants to experience, but they happen every day. Fortunately, many fires are preventable with the proper care and maintenance of a property. However, to make sure you are protected, you need to know the most common causes of house fires.

Heating equipment
Cooking equipment
Appliances
Faulty wiring
Candles
Smoking
Children

Heating Equipment

One of the leading fire causes, especially in the colder months, is portable heaters. These elements must be kept at least three feet away from anything flammable. Also, do not use extension cords to plug the unit in.

Cooking Equipment

Grease fires are another common cause of house fires. Pans can quickly overheat if left unattended. Always have someone keeping an eye on cooking equipment to ensure things don't get out of control.

Appliances

Faulty appliances or those that are not maintained properly can lead to a significant number of blazes annually. For example, dryers need to have their lint traps cleaned regularly to ensure that lint and other elements do not buildup in the exhaust system and ignite.

Faulty Wiring

Faulty wiring can cause a home fire. If you moved into an older home, make sure that your wiring is checked by a licensed electrician to ensure it is up to code. Also, remember to have your critical systems inspected at least once per year.

Candles

While candles are beautiful for creating ambiance, they are not the safest options for use in a home because children and animals easily topple them. Try using LED candles instead.

Smoking

Smokers need to be especially careful when lighting up in the home, especially if they are in the habit of smoking before bed. Cigarettes can lead to house fires and even death due to the proximity to potential victims.
While you can keep a watchful eye over these common causes, accidents do happen. If your home is damaged in a fire, you can hire fire cleaning services to restore your home in Ceres, OK.
A home fire is a tragedy. Be watchful and mindful of common causes to prevent such a travesty for your family.