What is the #1 most common cause of house fires?

Home fires are a frightening thing, and they transpire more regularly than people might think. The National Fire Protection Association has shown that more than 300,000 houses in America experience fire damage in a year. Along with these statistics, businesses like Paul Davis have provided fire damage repair services for many houses. It’s important to understand the most common ways a house fire is caused because any potential for fire shouldn’t be neglected. We’ve listed out the most common fire hazards so that you can avert a fire from taking place in your home.

Being Distracted from Cooking

Making meals in the house is one of the major culprits to house fires, especially when no one is there to keep an eye on the kitchen. A lot of houses have been in need of fire damage repairs because of food being left on the stove with no one to lookout after it. It’s imperative to wait in the kitchen while cooking or to ask someone to watch it if you depart from the room.

Electrical Accessories

Anything that needs electricity in your property can act as a fire hazard. Check your appliances to see if any of the cords are bad because that is a great fire hazard. Furthermore, what you need to remember are your outlets. You don’t want to overload the circuit.

Candles Left Ignited

Candles are nice objects to keep around the house. They embellish your space and make your home smell nice, but they are also an extreme fire hazard. Make sure to extinguish your candles before exiting the room, and place them in a location where they won’t fall or burn other objects around them.

Cigarettes in Your Home

When it comes to fire hazards, cigarettes are risky since they can drop on the floor and stay lit for a long period of time. Smoking outdoors is an excellent method to reduce this risk.

Electrical Issues Bad Wiring

Homes with defective wiring produce electrical problems which can lead to a house fire. Bad wiring is problematic because you can’t always see it, but here are some things to look out for:

  • Your lights dim when another appliance is in use
  • You have to disconnect something in order for an appliance to work
  • Your circuit trips frequently

If you recognize any of these things, call an experienced electrician or call your landlord to resolve the issue.

BBQs & Grills

Having a grill may be an essential part of your house, and they’re a good thing to have throughout the summer. Remember, it’s necessary that your grill isn’t near anything that can ignite from it. Maintaining your grill is also important because the buildup in it can be a fire hazard. Additionally, you need to examine the gas bottle frequently for leaks or other potential problems.

Kids

Kids are usually curious, and fire can be attractive to them. Keep any matches or lighters out of reach or hidden to prevent a calamity from developing. Take extra protections and ensure your children understand how to clear the area and that they know their address if they need to call 911.

Placing Flammable Liquids

Before storing your liquids, look through the label to make sure the contents aren’t flammable, otherwise, don’t store them by a heat source.

Christmas Tree

Christmas trees provide holiday festivities into the home, but they are also a major fire hazard. If you like having a live tree, you should cut off an inch from the trunk so the tree is able to soak up water. Watering your tree regularly and keeping it hydrated is also an essential step. Before going to sleep for the night, check to see that your Christmas lights are turned off too. Also, you could buy an artificial tree to avoid the fire hazard altogether.

Lint Traps

Fires generated from dryers are very prevalent, and that’s why it’s crucial to keep them clean. To prevent your house from needing fire remediation services, always clean out the lint trap before using it again, and examine the dryer duct regularly because lint can get trapped in there as well.

Fire Damage Prevention to Your Home

It’s impossible to remove all potential risks for fire, but understanding the most frequent causes of house fires can eliminate your risk significantly. If you have experienced any fire damage to your property, don’t hesitate to call an expert that offers fire remediation services, like Paul Davis. We are the fire restoration contractors that can get your property recovered back to where it was before.