3 Major Causes of Home Fires

8/23/2022 (Permalink)

Age, faulty wiring, and improper use are all possible causes of a home fire.

Most Common Causes Of a Home Fire

There are many ways to protect your family and your East Brainerd, TN, home, especially when it comes to fire safety. Millions of blazes occur in the United States each year, and some of them cause catastrophic damage that require the services of a fire cleanup and restoration company. If you want to avoid this type of tragedy, it is important to know the most common causes of a home fire and how to prevent them.

1. Malfunctioning or Overheated Appliances

Your home’s stove, washer and dryer and air conditioning system can spark a fire if they fail to operate correctly or overheat. Faulty wiring, age and improper use might all contribute to such circumstances. To prevent this possibility, turn off or unplug appliances when you leave the house, keep your dryer’s filter and ducts clean and have your HVAC system maintained and checked annually.

2. Accidental Arson

The curiosity of children has often led to accidental fires that have raged out of control. Matches, lighters and hand-held units that light with the push of a button can present irresistible temptation to kids, even those who are old enough to understand that fire causes injury and damage. If you have children, keep all flammables out of reach or locked away and avoid leaving cigarette lighters or matches unattended.

3. Holiday Lights

A home fire caused by Christmas or other holiday lights can occur for several reasons. The lights may be old, have a faulty bulb or may overheat when left on too long. They might also be accidentally placed near flammable substances. Even smaller lights can cause a blaze, so you may want to ask a fire cleaning and restoration specialist about how to hang lighted decorations safely, especially if you have a smaller home where a fire might spread rapidly.

Preventing a home fire can be crucial to keeping your family and East Brainerd, TN, property safe. Understanding what might spark a blaze may help you eliminate risk factors around the house and practice fire safety tactics that can be beneficial to everyone who lives there.