Preventative Measures for House Fires & Common Ways They’re Started

3/10/2022 (Permalink)

5 Most Common Ways House Fires Start

House fire losses can leave you feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start in terms of restoration. To help stop house fires before they start, here is a list of the most common ways house fires happen, and some preventative ways to stop them. 

1. Cooking fires are one of the most common types of house fires, causing about 50% of residential fires. Most often, they are caused by grease that is overheated in an oven or on a stove. Once grease is ignited, it is difficult to choke out the flames. 

Tip: Grease is highly flammable and when it reaches about 600 degrees Fahrenheit, it can combust (even without a direct flame source). 

2. Space heaters can cause fires when fabric materials or other combustible items are left too close to them. Heating appliances are the second leading cause of residential fires, responsible for about 12% of household fires. 

3. Faulty electrical wiring causes around 51,000 fires annually. Typically, electric fires occur because of short circuits that ignite within walls. Electrical fires account for about 10% of all residential fires.

4. Fires from cigarettes account for only around 5% of home fires yearly. To be safe try to limit smoking indoors, and smoke outside. Flyaway embers or dropped ignited sticks are a huge fire risk. 

5. New Year’s Day, New Year’s Eve and Christmas are the most frequently used time for candles, those holidays also experience an increase in home fires. 

Preventative Tips to Avoid House Fires

• When cooking with grease, be sure to never leave hot oil unattended. Most kitchen fires start when a homeowner leaves cooking food unattended in an oven or on a stove. 

Tip: Small grease fires can be extinguished rather quickly if you immediately turn the heat off and smother the fire with a metal lid. 

• With a serious fire, do not attempt to put the fire out. Immediately call your local emergency services, such as your fire department. NEVER dump water over a grease fire, doing this can cause boiling grease to explode and throw grease everywhere. 
• When using a space heater, be sure to inspect it regularly to ensure it is in working condition. Space heaters always come with instructions for usage, one of the heaviest rules being do not leave a space heater running unsupervised.
• Annually have your homes wiring checked out by a professional electrician, especially if you own an older home. Do not try to ‘DIY’ any electrical repairs unless you are a licensed professional. 
• Keep matches and lighters in a secure place if you have kids, and never leave a candle burning in a room unattended. 
• When it comes to using candles during important holidays, consider using other options for decorative lighting effects. 

Recently experienced a house fire loss? Give SERVPRO® of Columbia County a call at 706-868-5441 for a consultation.