What Are The Most Common Causes Of House Fires?

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Watching a fire consume your home is one of the most devastating events to experience. Fires account for thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in damage each year, along with emotional effects that can last long after the fire has occurred. House fires are common in the US and a leading cause in accidental death. However, understanding what are the most common causes of house fires can help to instill knowledge and better judgement in certain actions or negligence to help prevent fires at home.

1. Electricity

Poor electricity connections and wiring faults are known to be the primary cause of fire outbreaks. Short circuits result in fire sparking and ignitions that can catch nearby materials. The overloading of electricity circuits has resulted in significant fire outbreaks in the United States. Electricity faults are sometimes hard to detect though, and many homeowners have found themselves victims of fire outbreaks. When moving into a new home, it may be best to contact an electrician to inspect the wiring systems.

2. Unattended Candles

There are many cases of fire outbreaks resulting from unattended candles and if left alone, can cause the house to catch fire. Humans are prone to forgetting, and many homeowners forget to blow out the candle when they leave the room. The candle then meltdown and the adjacent materials catch fire. Kids should not be left alone in the house when there are candles in use because they might knock the candles down while playing. There are also instances when pets knock down the candles.

3. Unattended Home Heaters

Most homeowners have installed a space heater to be used during winter months. Any contact between the heater in use and any nearby cloth fabrics may cause the material to catch fire. Electric heaters may also have faulty wiring, which may even ignite a fire. Heaters should always be considered when in use and maintained properly.

4. Christmas Trees & Decorations

Most Christmas trees and other decorations are lit through non- LED electric bulbs. When they overheat, they can cause a fire. When going to sleep or leaving the house, homeowners should switch off their Christmas trees’ power source. You may also replace the typical bulbs with LED bulbs because LED bulbs don’t get as hot.

5. Home Cooking

The most common event that causes fires in the home when cooking is unattended overheated grease. Oven and gas stoves should never be left unattended as they can overheat and cause fire sparks that may spread fire in the whole property. Barbecues are another source of fire outbreaks in most home cooking settings. Any spark from barbecues may ignite adjacent materials, and the fire can spread to other parts of the house.

6. Highly Flammable Chemicals

Some homeowners store highly flammable chemicals in the house, which can easily catch fire. Highly volatile chemicals include gasoline, oils, paints, among others. Unsealed chemicals leak their vapors to the environment that diffuses out and reach fire sources and lead to a fire outbreak. It is best to properly store these in an area or part of the property that is separate from the main home, such as a garage or shed.

You don’t need to experience a fire to know that it is something you do not wish to go through. Knowing and understanding what kinds of things can cause a house fire can help to prevent against the behavior or habits that can cause such destruction. However, if a fire does occur in your home, it is best to rely on fire damage restoration professionals to ensure your remediation is performed completely and correctly.

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