What Are The Most Common Causes Of House Fires? We Got The Answers
By 911 Water Damage Experts
There are many things that are flammable in this world, including your home and everything in it!
Below we highlight the most probable causes of how a fire may start in your home – let’s get into it.
1. Fires that happen in the kitchen
The most common types of fires are the ones that can happen in the kitchen. They are so common, they contribute to almost half of the overall domestic fires, and are most likely caused by some greases that have been left sitting too long in the oven or on the stove.
Picture this – the grease needs to get to the temperature of about 600 degrees (Fahrenheit) in order to burst into flames.
Once it reaches this temperature, it can ignite in the blink of an eye, creating a dangerous zone and a fire that is difficult to extinguish.
So, any time you are cooking anything with oil, or greasy food, make sure not to leave the kitchen unattended. Believe it or not, most fires are caused by not being attentive enough while preparing the food and leaving the stove or the oven unsupervised, resulting in the cooking ware catching on fire. We recommend a regular deep clean of your pots and pans to avert the build-up from grease.
Another thing to keep in mind is those small, portable appliances, such as a toaster. They can very easily catch fire if left unattended. The bread crumbs in the toaster can create damage (if the toaster is not cleaned properly).
Also, always double-check the appliances have cooled off before putting them away.
In any case, if the fire is still small, you can use a fire extinguisher to contain the spread and the damage. However, if the fire has spread, do not try to put it out with water!
Call the fire department instead.
2. Small heating appliances
The second most common cause of domestic fires are heating appliances.
They can actually very easily create a fire if any sort of fabric is left in close proximity. The ones that are significantly the most dangerous are the kerosene fuelled ones – they can literally blow up if left unattended.
The electrical heaters are none the better – you need to make sure the electrical wiring is all good in order to avoid a fire from happening, and of course, not leave any fabric lying around.
Proper maintenance and going through the manual before using any of these appliances should give you a proper base on how to use them.
And finally, needless to say all heating appliances must be switched off before you leave the house!
3. Electrical fires
Different types of faults in the electrical wiring are causing more than 50,000 fires on an annual level, and plenty of damages afterward.
These usually happen as a result of some loose wiring or short circuits that can either cause some sparking or overheating of wires due to overwhelming current, resulting in fire.
Even though the percentage of the fires caused by electricity is low, it comes up with quite a high percentage of deaths.
This is happening because the fires flare-up in the most unusual and hidden location, they can happen while the people living in the home are asleep, and it takes a long time before someone discovers that it’s burning somewhere.
This is why it is highly suggested to have the electricity in your home checked by a professional, especially if the home is older.
You can check for it yourself, but only if you are familiar (meaning expert) with the process and have knowledge of how electricity functions.
4. Fires caused by smoking
You probably wouldn’t have thought of this one yourself, but the cigarettes have multiple ways of shortening your life!
There is always the potential of a cigarette butt catching on fire if dropped on the floor where there is carpeting, or dropped on a piece of furniture, or maybe dropped on some clothes.
The wildest thing is that this source of fire is responsible for the highest rate of deaths in fire accidents because it usually happens when the person involved has fallen asleep.
Smoking just before sleeping could definitely have some fatal consequences for you – it takes so little for a mattress, clothing or even a blanket to catch fire while you rest your eyes for a minute.
This is one of the reasons why it is strongly recommended for smokers to “take their business outside” or smoke near an ashtray or sink.
5. Candle fires
Needless to say, no one is surprised when it comes to this one, candles can be a real menace if you leave them unsupervised!
The matches used to light a candle should be put as far away from a child as possible, and candles should be put out when you exit a certain room.
Indeed the holidays are a great time to be with your friends and family, you’ll have lavish dinner parties and show off your table decorating abilities, which also include flaunting plenty of candles. Despite candles looking visually pleasing, they are also the main reason for candle fires in the home.
Maybe consider some alternatives – you can easily find some excellent replacement for flameless small lamps, powered by batteries, which provide the effect of a real flame. There are also LED candles available on Amazon or your local department store.
6. Chemical fires
These fires, besides being common for creating fires in commercial locations, are also common in causing fires at home too.
More than often, this happens as a result of gasoline or some other volatile compound coming in touch with an open flame, or reaching a high point of temperature that causes them to burst.
There is another chemical way through a spontaneous ignition, where the released chemicals get in touch with oxygen, produce enough heat, and burst into flames.
The thing that makes them so deadly is the fact that these kinds of fires mostly sneak up on you while you are unprepared. So, if you want to protect yourself, protect the flammable chemicals from any source of heat.
And since gasoline is the prevailing fuel used in households, there are a few safe ways to store it, make sure you use a recognized container, which is usually in a bright red colour, clearly labeled and plastic.
Don’t fill it up completely, leave some space for the vapor to release, but still, keep it tightly closed so the gas does not get out and reach a source of the fire.
And finally, make sure to keep that container as far away from a heating source as possible! If you leave in a house and have a garage, store it there, just make sure it is as far as it can possibly get from a living space.
The oily rags are another spontaneous and common source of fire, it can easily ignite after being used.
Never, ever stack them on top of each other since the fume, when coming in touch with oxygen, can quickly result in flames.
The oily rags should be set outside because of the evaporation process of the oil. They can be washed once fully dry.
7. Christmas trees
It may come as a bit of a shock to process this one, but as beautiful as the Christmas trees are, by the time they are ready to be put away, they are all dried up and pose a high risk of catching fire if they come in contact with a spark or a flame.
Of course, there is always the possibility of getting a plastic tree, which poses a lesser risk of course, however, there is another aspect that needs to be taken into consideration here – the Christmas lights.
Do not leave the Christmas lights on if you are going out or going to bed, they can easily heat up and cause the artificial or the real Christmas tree to burst into flames.
Some people even put their Christmas lights around their windows, which in this case poses a threat to your curtains catching fire.
One of the ways to keep yourself on the safe side is to regularly check the wires of the lights, or change the old, easily heated lights with LED lights, which are significantly cooler to the touch.
And of course, enjoy the holidays in a safe environment!
If you have any questions about fire damage restoration and smoke odour removal feel free to call us at 1-833-WE-DRY-IT any time 24/7/365 all the time. We’re there when you need us!
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