How to Avoid a House Fire

1/9/2020 (Permalink)

A house fire can be a traumatizing event but there are ways to prevent them.

A house fire can be a devastating event for your home in Satellite Beach, FL. You could potentially lose many of your possessions in addition to your home. While it may seem that some of these fires are unavoidable, there are ways that you can prevent these events from occurring. These are six of the most common causes of house fires and how you can prevent them.

1. Candles

A NFPA study found that between 2012-2016, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 8,200 home structure fires that were started by candles per year. They stated that these fires caused an annual average of 80 deaths, 770 injuries and $264 million in direct property damage.

There are several causes of candle-related house fires. More than half of the fires that were started in the bedroom were because open flames were left too close to flammable items. Other causes of these fires include leaving the room unattended, someone playing with the candles, and the candle knocking over when someone or a pet bumps the table.

To avoid candle related house fires, keep any candles 12 inches away from any flammable items, never leave a candle lit in a child’s room or an unoccupied room, make sure the candle fits securely into the candle holder so it won’t tip over, and blow out any candles before leaving a room or going to sleep.

Smoking

According the NFPA, 17,600 house fires are a result of smoking. That’s resulted in 490 deaths and more than $516 million in property damage. In 2013, the NFPA found that there had been a 73 percent drop in smoking-related house fires from 2008-2011 mostly due to a decrease in the number of smokers. Also helping the drop in smoking-related house fires were new regulations creating non-flammable mattresses, clothing, and furnishings.

The causes of these types of fires are usually ashes or cigarette butts not being completely put out, smoking near a medical oxygen tank, or lacking attention to the cigarette due to falling asleep, drinking, or taking medication while the cigarette is lit.

To avoid causing a smoking-related house fire, smoke outside, use wide and sturdy ashtrays to catch all butts and ashes, and be aware of any cigarettes that may have fallen under furniture or between seat cushions. Also make sure that there are no lit butts that have fallen where they can’t be seen.

Electrical and Lighting

The NFPA reports that in 2011, approximately 47,700 house fires were caused by an electrical failure or malfunction of some sort. These types of fires resulted in 418 deaths, 1,570 injuries, and caused $1.4 billion worth of property damage.

Causes of electrical and lighting fires include equipment malfunction, an overloaded circuit or extension cord, an overheated light bulb, a space heater, a washer, and a dryer. Of all the fires caused by electrical and lighting between 2007-2011, 63 percent were due to wiring problems.

Ways that you can avoid starting an electrical or lighting fire include not overloading outlets or electrical cords, ensuring you’re using the right cords (inside cord for inside and heavy duty or outside cord for outside), not leaving Christmas equipment (lights and trees) on overnight or when you’re not home, and having an electrician perform an annual checkup on the home’s wiring.

Dryer and Washing Machines

The NFPA found that 16,800 house fires in 2010 were caused by dryers and washing machines resulting in more than $236 million worth of property damage. Of the fires started by dryers, 29 percent were caused by lint or dust and 28 percent were caused by clothing. For washer-related fires, 26 percent were caused by wire or cable insulation, 21 percent caused by appliance housing, and 15 percent were caused by the drive belt.

Tips to avoiding these types of fires include cleaning the lint screen frequently, ensure there are no leaks in the lines in gas or propane dryers, ensuring the dryer is vented to the outside of the house so that nothing blocks the vent pipe, clean the vent pipe and area where the screen is housed, and keep the area around the dryer free of combustible materials.

Lightning

The NFPA says that from 2007-2011, an average of 22,600 house fires were started annually from lightning. These fires are different than the others on this list as they were primarily started during the summer months of June, July, and August rather than December and January.

To avoid lightning-related fires, stay away from doors or windows during an electrical storm, don’t use corded electrical equipment during storms, unplug major electronics when lightning is close by, and avoid plumbing fixtures like sinks or baths during a thunderstorm.

Cooking

Nearly 40 percent of all house fires are started from cooking. That 156,000 house fires per year and they have caused $853 million worth of property damage. Two-thirds of these fires start due to food or other materials catching fire with 57 percent of these fires starting on a range and 16 percent of these fires being caused by an oven. These fires are typically started either when grease is left unattended or when frying something.

To prevent the possibility of a house fire when cooking, don’t leave your food unattended, don’t attempt to put out a grease fire with water instead putting a lid on the pan to smother it, keep flammable items away from the heat source, and make sure your smoke detectors work and there is a fire extinguisher nearby. If a fire occurs in the oven, shut the door and wait for it to extinguish itself.

A house fire in your Suntree, FL home can be a traumatizing event but there are ways to prevent them. By knowing what causes these fires and understanding safety measures, you can ensure you won’t suffer this fate. If you do suffer a house fire, call SERVPRO to remediate the problem.