Fires Are On The Rise In The Winter

12/1/2021 (Permalink)

Fire Damages Can Threaten Holiday Fun and Safety

House fires occur during the winter months typically from unforeseen, yet often preventable instances.

Keeping yourself prepared for potential fire threats is important to keeping your home and family safe during the holidays. Do you plan to host out-of-town visitors at your home? Important things to note is to assure that your guests know important safety measures. For example, letting your guests know where the fire extinguisher is located, the meeting place outside of a home for a fire, typically your home’s mailbox, and all exit points for the home are vital. Additionally, introducing or helping to familiarize your guests with helpful neighbors could be found important.

Do Fires Increase During the Holiday Seasons?

Usually, fires around the holiday times like Christmas occur because of electrical fires, improper use of space heaters, or from unattended candles. Unattended candles will eventually catch fire because melted wax eventually heats into a gas format which later turns into vapor. This vapor, mixed with oxygen, has a flash point, and can easily catch fire. Additionally, candles with high fragrance content are more likely to catch fire if left to burn for too long. Although we love to fill our home with the strong scents of Cinnamon, apple and pecan around the holidays, these high fragrance candles are to be carefully monitored.

6 Steps for Candle Safety

• Don’t Walk Away from Your Candles. Never leave a burning candle. Make sure the candle is completely out and the wick ember is no longer glowing before leaving the room.
• Secure the Area. Never burn a candle encase anything that could catch fire. This includes anything with fabric, paper, or bedding.
• Keep Kids and Pets Away. Make sure children and pets who do not fully understand the dangers of a candle cannot knock over the candles.
• Avoid Drafts and Vents. Keeping candles away from drafts will help against soot and excessive dripping.
• Don’t touch or move while candle is lit. Never move while lit or while wax is liquefied, this can cause burns or ruin flooring or furniture if there is a spill.
• Keep candles 3’ apart from each other. Keeping candles apart helps them to not melt together or create their own drafts that will cause the candle to alter their burning.

Have you experienced a fire damage this season or simply want to learn more about our restorative process? Call our office at 706-868-5441.