Top 3 Fire Hazards In Your Home

5/12/2021 (Permalink)

House fires cause injury, property damage, and death throughout the nation every year. Being aware of the biggest hazards could help you keep your loved ones safe from the results of a house fire, and help you avoid the costs associated with recovering from that kind of disastrous event.

Here are the top 3 fire hazards in your home to be aware of (plus some safety tips to help you manage them):

CANDLES

It’s never wise to light a candle and leave the room. Research has found that there is an average of 10,000-plus fires in the U.S. started by candles every year; that’s an average of 29 candle fires per day! Additionally, one-third of these fires were found to have started in bedrooms, and half of those incidents were due to fires from candles that were left too close to flammable items.

SERVPRO Safety tips:

• Never leave a candle burning near flammable items, and extinguish all candles before leaving the room.
• Never leave a candle burning in a child’s room or an unoccupied room.
• Make sure candles fit securely into candle holders to avoid accidents from tipping.

SMOKING

The number of fires caused by smoking is trending downward, but The National Fire Protection Association reports that there are still currently an average of over 17,000 smoking-related fires per year! This agency also shares that even though the number of smoking-material-related fires has dropped in the last few years due to a decline in smoking, it is still a major culprit. Especially among older people, who are at higher risk.

SERVPRO Safety tips:

• Smoke outside whenever possible.
• Look for cigarette butts under furniture and between seat cushions for those that might not have been extinguished.
• Never smoke when you’re tired or around medical oxygen, or in bed.

ELECTRICAL/LIGHTING

Electrical fires can be caused by an equipment malfunction due to an overloaded circuit, a bad extension cord, an overheated light bulb, or various types of home appliances.

SERVPRO Safety tips:

• Don’t overload outlets or electrical cords.
• Ensure you use the right cord for the job; use inside cords for inside and heavy-duty/outside cords outdoors.
• Don’t leave Christmas lights, Christmas trees, or halogen lights on overnight or when gone from your home.
• Schedule an electrician to come and perform an annual checkup of your home’s wiring.

These are the top three fire hazards you need to be aware of in your home, but there are other fire hazards to guard against, as well. SERVPRO of South and Northwest Grand Rapids is always available to come to your home and conduct an assessment of your fire safety practices. We are proud to serve our community in the restoration of homes and businesses when damage happens from fire, water, accidents, vandalism, biohazards, and more. We can get your home or business Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, too. This franchise is independently owned and operated.