As a homeowner, there are many things that you have to worry about in regards to your home. Fire is one of the most damaging hazards that your home can encounter. It’s important that you do your part to help prevent a fire from damaging your home. We’re going to share with you some of the most common home fire dangers that you need to be aware of and what you can do to prevent them.
Grease
Cooking is the biggest cause of fires in homes throughout the United States. Many people get confused when a grease fire first breaks out. We’ve been taught since little up that putting water on a fire will extinguish it. However, when it comes to grease, this is not the case. Grease fires need to be smothered out, or an appropriate fire extinguisher needs to be used. Putting water on a grease fire simply allows the grease to spread. And, in turn, the fire spreads. To help prevent this type of fire, it’s a good idea to have a fire extinguisher handy that is specifically designed to deal with grease fires. You should also wear tight-fitting clothing when cooking and keep loose objects like towels and hot pads away from the stove burners.
Outdoor Brush Piles
When you take care of the landscaping at your home, you may end up with a brush pile. A dry brush pile is the perfect kindling to start any good fire. While you might not have an outside fire pit and no one in your home smokes, it’s never a good idea to leave a brush pile outside. A stray cigarette from a driver going down the roadway can get caught up in the breeze and end up in your brush pile. It doesn’t take long for that brush to ignite and turn into a large fire. This will not only damage your lawn but can also catch trees, shrubs, and other exterior elements of your home on fire. Whenever you have a brush pile, it’s a good idea to get it bagged up or taken to a local dump.
Kids
If you’re a parent, then you know how quickly your children can do something without you noticing. All it takes is a few seconds with a lighter or a match for your child to ignite something flammable in your home. Once one thing gets started, more things will jump in, and before you know it, your entire house is on fire. The best thing that you can do to prevent this is a two-fold approach. First, you need to talk about fire safety with your children so that they understand why things like matches and lighters are dangerous. Second, it’s a good idea to keep these fire starters out of reach of your children and any of their friends that came over to visit.
Candles
Many people choose to use candles for various reasons inside of their homes. Whether it’s enjoying the light when there’s a power outage going on or simply setting the mood for a calm night in, candles can be very useful when used correctly. However, candles are one of the biggest causes of house fires out there. If you want to have candles burning in your home, there are certain precautions you should take. These include having a sturdy candle holder that cannot easily be knocked over, not burning the candle down the whole way, placing candles at least a foot away from any objects in your home, and not leaving the room with a candle still lit.
Faulty Electrical
Electrical fires can be extremely dangerous in any home due to the fact that wires run throughout all the wall cavities. Electrical fires can start in a number of ways. These include overloading the circuit, unsealed wires, overheated appliances, and other equipment malfunctions. To help minimize your risk of dealing with faulty electrical fires, there are a few things that you can do. First, you should be replacing any broken or bare wires that you see. Next, you should be mindful of the allotted load on each circuit to ensure that you don’t go over it. Lastly, hiring an electrician to check over your existing electrical system can help you to determine if there are any unforeseen risk factors that your home has.
Appliances
Another common cause of fires in homes is due to problems with appliances. Dryers are the most common cause for fires as the lint gets backed up in the system, and this overheats the dryer. Regularly checking over your dryer can help to prevent this issue from happening. If you notice that one of your appliances is not working correctly, take the time to diagnose the problem. Don’t continue to use an appliance that tends to malfunction. This could lead to unintentional fires.
Be Mindful Of Storage Areas
When it comes to helping to reduce your risk of damage from a home fire, it’s a good idea to consider the items that you’re storing in your home. Many of us are culpable of storing boxes in the garage, basement, or spare room. Boxes just create a lot of fuel for a home fire. It’s a good idea to store items in fireproof containers. This will cut down on the amount of fuel that you’ll be providing for a potential fire that wreaks havoc on your home. The less stuff that you have in one area, the more time the fire company will have to put the fire out before it renders your home inhabitable.
As a homeowner, you should do everything possible to protect your home from fire damage. The above are just some of the many tips that you can utilize to protect your home and your family. While you can’t completely eliminate the risk of a home fire, you can do yourself a favor by taking the necessary protective measures to greatly mitigate your risk.
