What Are the Leading Causes of Home Fires?

1/6/2022 (Permalink)

Take into account the Most Common Fire Causes and avoid Fire in your Black Forest, CO house.

There are many potential causes of house fires. Homeowners can learn ways to prevent a home fire by becoming familiar with the most common reasons that fires start.

Most Common Fire Causes

Fires can be caused by disasters or system failures. However, they are often caused by everyday activities. These are some of the most common causes of fires.

1. Cooking

The top cause of house fires is unsupervised cooking. While it may be tempting to put your food on the stove and head to the living room to watch TV, this is not a good idea. Stay in the same room as your food while it cooks. If you need to do something else, ask another adult to keep an eye on the food or turn the heat off until you can come back. Set a timer when you are cooking food that takes a long time so that you don't forget about it.

Keep a residential fire extinguisher in the kitchen and learn how to use it. Remember to never throw water on grease fires. Instead, smother the fire with a non-flammable lid, sheet pan, baking soda or salt. If a fire damages your kitchen, consider contacting a fire remediation company in Black Forest, CO to do fire cleaning.

2. Heating Equipment

Space heaters are another common cause of a house fire. If you use a space heater, position it so that it does not come in contact with flammable materials, such as laundry, curtains, furniture or blankets. Do not run space heaters unattended. If you need to leave the area where the heater is located, turn it off and unplug it. Avoid placing space heaters where they can easily be knocked over.

Furnaces can also cause fires if they do not function properly. Have your furnace inspected once per year.

3. Faulty Wiring

Faulty wiring can cause a fire if the wires get too hot or generate sparks that catch other materials on fire. Watch for signs that your wiring doesn't work properly, such as lights that dim when you are using appliances, frequently blown fuses or tripped breakers and only being able to run one appliance at a time.

4. Smoking

Smoking can cause fires when people fall asleep with lit smoking materials in their hands or mouths or discard smoking materials improperly. You can reduce the risk of fires caused by smoking materials by using only fire-safe cigarettes. Smoke only outside your home.

Keep smoking materials out of the reach of children. Use a sturdy, deep ashtray and keep it away from anything flammable. Do not discard cigarettes in vegetation or other flammable materials. Douse cigarette butts in sand or water before throwing them out. Never smoke around anyone who uses medical oxygen.

Be cautious with e-cigarettes. Battery failures can cause explosions. Do not leave e-cigarettes unattended while charging.

Residential fires can be a safety hazard and result in severe property damage. Educating yourself and your family about the most common reasons a home fire may start can help you reduce the risk that a fire may occur.