5 Most Common Causes Of A House Fire

8/13/2019 (Permalink)

To the hot summer days, to the cold frigged winters, house fires can be started quickly and spread fast. A house can easily catch fire from the misuse of heating equipment, appliances and even smoking in your bedroom. In fact, house fires are the leading cause of all fire deaths in the United States.

Here are 5 of the most common causes of a house fire and some prevention tips.

1. Cooking equipment. Pots, pans and burning food can easily overheat and catch fire if the person is not paying attention. Stay in the room, or ask someone to watch your food while you are away from the kitchen.
2. Heating. Portable heaters are used a lot during the winter months. Keep portable heaters at least 1 meter away from furniture, laundry, curtains, clothes and anything else that may be a hazard. If you have a furnace, make sure it is inspected once a year.
3. Smoking in bedrooms. Fires started in the bedroom makeup 73% of all house fire fatalities! Bedrooms should be kept off-limits from smoking. Cigarette flames may stay alit for several hours before dying out. It could easily catch fire if it came in contact with flammable materials.
4. Electrical Equipment. Electrical appliances like toasters, microwaves, and skillets should always be double-checked before using. Overloaded adapter plugs can also cause a fire from overuse of electricity. Don’t plug too much in at once.
5. Candles. Who doesn’t love a good smelling candle? If left unattended it could cause your hose to go up in flames! Keep them away from items like tissue boxes, books, and napkins. And of course, always blow them out before leaving a room.