The Most Common Cause for Fire Damage Clean Up Services
Fire damage presents itself to homes quite often, and they can be an alarming thing to deal with. More than 300,000 homes across America, according to the National Fire Protection Association, experience fire damage in a year. Along with these numbers, businesses like Paul Davis have supplied fire damage restoration services for many properties. The feasibility of a house fire shouldn't be overlooked, and that's why it's good to know what the most common causes of house fires are. To better prepare yourself, we've assembled a category of the most common causes of house fires.
Cooking in the Kitchen
Making meals in the house is one of the main culprits to house fires, especially when no one is there to watch the kitchen. Many fire damage repairs have been necessary because of forgotten activities in the kitchen. If you need to leave the kitchen for any reason, make sure another person is there to look after the cooking.
Accessories Using Electricity
Any electrical equipment and appliances can be a fire hazard. If any of your electrical devices have a bad cord, then they are a fire hazard. Another thing to be cautious about is your outlets. You don't want to overload the circuit.
Candles in Your Room
One of the more fun pieces to place around the house are candles. Despite the fact they make for ornate decorations, they are also a huge risk for fire. Make sure to extinguish your candles before departing the room, and place them in an area where they won't fall over or burn other things around them.
Smoking Indoors
Cigarettes have been a fire hazard for a long time, because they can stay lit for a few hours, and if they come into contact with anything flammable, you can have a big issue on your hands. Smoking outdoors is an excellent idea to stay away from this accident.
A Home with Damaged Wiring
Residences with faulty wiring produce electrical issues which can lead to a house fire. This poses a problem because it's not in plain sight, but there are a few things you can watch out for to identify any faulty wiring in your property:
- Your lights dim when another appliance is in use
- You have to disconnect something in order for an appliance to work
- Your circuit trips frequently
If you recognize any of these things, contact a professional electrician or contact your landlord to resolve the problem.
BBQs & Grills
Having a barbecue may be a main part of your property, and they're a fine thing to have throughout the summer months. Remember, it's critical that your barbecue isn't near anything that can ignite from it. Maintaining your grill is also crucial because the buildup in it can put you at risk of fire. Additionally, you should examine the gas bottle consistently for leaks or other possible issues.
Kids
Kids are normally curious, and fire can be enticing for them. Hide all matches and lighters in the house to keep your children secure. You can also teach them what to do in the incident of a fire and to memorize their address in the event they need to call 911.
Placing Combustible Contents
When you're storing your liquids, always examine the label to make sure the contents aren't a fire hazard, otherwise don't store them by a heat source.
Christmas Trees in the Home
Christmas trees bring holiday festivities into the house, but they are also a major fire hazard. If you like having a live tree, you should cut off a small section from the trunk so the tree is able to soak up water. You should also be diligent about ensuring your tree is watered and hydrated. Before going to bed for the evening, check to see that your Christmas lights are turned off as well. You could favor buying an artificial tree to avoid a fire hazard.
Not Cleaning Out the Dryer Duct
Fires caused from dryers are rather common, and that's why it's integral to keep them clean. To prevent your property from needing fire remediation services, always clean out the lint trap before using it again, and inspect the dryer duct frequently because lint can get trapped in there as well.
Fire Damage Prevention to Your Home
It's difficult to remove all possible risks for fire, but knowing the most frequent causes of house fires can eliminate your risk substantially. If you have encountered any fire damage to your property, don't hesitate to call an expert that provides fire remediation services, like Paul Davis. We are fire restoration contractors that can have your house restored back to its previous state.
