How to Prevent the Leading Causes of House Fires

Home fires are devastating. By the time the fire department arrives at the scene of a house fire, irreparable damage has often been done. 

With that being said, the good news is that most of the leading causes can be avoided by being careful. Cooking accidents, faulty heating equipment, electrical wiring issues, and indoor smoking are all preventable. 

In this blog, we’ll walk you through actions that are a fire risk and how to avoid them to keep you and your family safe. 

The Most Common Cause of House Fires

According to the Natural Fire Protection Association, cooking accidents are the leading cause of house fires. They happen due to the following factors: 

• Leaving an open flame that can char food unattended
• Spilling oil, grease, and other flammable products near a hot stove
• Leaving objects such as paper napkins and food packages near a hot stove

How to Prevent Cooking Fires 

A cooking fire can happen at any time, especially if you’re distracted. Remember the following tips can help you avoid a disaster:

• Cook on low heat, especially if you are going to be in and out of the kitchen
• Keep the stove clean from oil, grease, and other flammable materials
• Ensure fire extinguishers are readily available in your kitchen

Other Causes of House Fires 

1. Home Heating

The second most common cause of a house fire is poorly maintained heating equipment, such as space heaters, chimneys, and furnaces. 

Dust and dirt accumulate on these devices after several uses, clogging pathways and causing overheating. If left unchecked by professionals, flame rollouts happen and can start a devastating fire at any time. 

How to Prevent Heating-Related Fires 

Heating solutions like HVAC repair and maintenance go a long way in preventing house fires. Regular inspections should involve: 

• Checking for burn spots near space heaters
• Detecting early signs of heat exchanger failures 
• Maintaining cleanliness of furnaces and chimneys to prevent burnout
• Conducting tests to detect a possible carbon monoxide leak at home

Hiring HVAC technicians to inspect your heating systems is a great way to spot problems with the furnace and ducts. They will run diagnostic tests to identify any issues and parts needing replacement or repair. Doing this annually keeps your HVAC in tip-top shape while ensuring you and your family are safe and sound. 

2. Electrical Equipment 

Faulty outlets, frayed wires, and mismatched wattages can all start an electrical fire. Whether you’re present or out of the house, these can easily catch fire quietly before surprising you with a burning smell wafting in the air. 

How to Prevent Electrical Fires 

• Throw out frayed cords immediately
• Always double-check the wattage of your appliances and sockets 
• Keep portable heaters away from combustible materials 
• Unplug electronics when not in use—this will keep you safe as well as help you conserve energy to lower your utility bills

3. Smoking

We aren’t here to tell people whether or not they should smoke, but we are here to advocate in favour of not smoking inside. Smoking materials caused 18,100 house fires over a four-year period, typically because of improper disposal and negligence. 

How to Prevent Smoking Fires 

Prevent a house fire by doing the following tips for disposing of cigarette butts properly:

• Smoke outdoors to keep embers away from furniture, rugs, and clothes
• Drench ashtrays with water to extinguish active embers
• Sweep floors regularly to remove cigarette ashes if you do smoke inside

4. Christmas Decorations

Christmas is a joyous time of year with all the lights and festivities, but it can also be a disaster when excitement leads to negligence. It can be hard to ensure all your decorations haven’t become a fire hazard when you only bring them out once a year.

How to Prevent a Christmas Decorations Fire 

Here are preventive tips to keep you and your family safe during the holiday season: 

• Turn off the tree lights when you leave home or go to sleep
• Get a home energy audit to avoid straining your systems
• Use LED lights instead of incandescent ones

Extinguish Preventable Home Fires

Most household fires start with something small like unattended cooking and poorly maintained HVAC systems. Knowing the warning signs and building good habits is the key to preventing catastrophic fires. 

Make it a habit to unplug appliances, keep proper fire safety equipment handy, and conduct annual HVAC maintenance with LG Home Comfort. These solutions prevent the most common cause of house fires, keeping your home safe and secured throughout the seasons. 

Schedule an appointment with us today!