House fires claim over 2000 lives every year in the US. While house fires are fortunately much less common than they used to be, they are still a real threat. And many of us don’t realize where the dangers lie. Half of all fires are related to cooking. The other half are due to a wide range of different hazards ranging from faulty electrics to unattended candles. This post explores some of the common hazards to look out for when protecting your home against a fire.
Old wiring
25% of house fires are electrical fires. Old wiring is a common cause. A lot of old wiring was not designed to deal with the amperage required by many modern appliances, leading to circuits getting overheated. Wire insulation can also become worn over time due to rodents or natural wear – this leaves hot wires exposed, which can in turn lead to fires. Some very old wiring in some old homes may not even be grounded, which can also be a major fire risk.
There are some telltale signs that the wiring in your home is getting old and dangerous. These signs include:
- Buzzing or charred outlets
- Flickering lights
- Frequent power trips
- Unexplained burning smells
It’s recommended that houses get rewired every 30 years. However, many houses that are 100 years or older have never been fully rewired. Residential electricians will be able to identify and replace any old wiring. This can be a costly job, but is worth it in order to prevent future electrical faults.
Kitchen clutter
Most fires start in the kitchen. However, it’s not always the result of food being left too long in the oven or oil catching alight. Clutter – particularly piles of paper or cardboard – that is too close to an oven or other hot appliance can potentially ignite. Piles of letters or newspapers left to gas hobs are a common cause of fire.
Make sure that your kitchen surfaces do not accumulate any clutter that could be potentially flammable. Be particularly cautious of surfaces around your oven – keep clutter away from the stove.
Smoking indoors
If you smoke indoors, you are at increased risk of a house fire breaking out. Lit cigarettes that aren’t properly extinguished can easily catch fire to other items in our home.
Some of the things that can increase your chance of starting a smoking-related house fire include:
- Smoking in bed
- Smoking under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Placing ashtrays in unstable places (such as the side of a sofa)
Try to break these habits if you are a smoker so that you can avoid being the victim of a fire. Alternatively, stop smoking indoors (or try quitting altogether).
Overloaded sockets
The maximum load of most US sockets is 15 amps/120 volts. Plugging too many appliances into a single socket can lead to a demand in current that exceeds this 15 amp/120 volt limit. This can lead to sockets becoming overheated as they receive more current than they can handle.
Multi-socket extension cables are the big culprit behind these fires. You need to be careful as to what you plug into them. Some devices like chargers and lamps use very little amperage and can run off a single socket without any issues. However, other appliances use a lot of amps – running two of these appliances off the same socket is a recipe for a fire. Such appliances include toasters, kettles, vacuum cleaners, irons, dishwashers, portable heaters, washing machines, hairdryers and tumble dryers.
Knock-off electronics
There have been many house fires caused by counterfeit chargers, smartphones, speakers, hair dryers and hair straighteners. It is illegal to sell such electronics in most countries, but this hasn’t stopped production and sale of these electronics.
You need to be wary of buying very cheap brand new electronics online. In some countries where legislation is not as tight, you may even need to be careful when buying such products from stores and markets. Always consider the price: if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Hair straighteners on beds
Hair straighteners get very hot and can potentially set fire to bedding if you leave them lying on your bed while still hot. Even if you’ve unplugged them, you should be careful of laying them down on your bed as they may not have cooled down.
The same applies to curlers and hairdryers, which have also caused fires in the past by being laid down on beds. Unplug them and place them on a hard surface away from anything flammable until they cool.
Unattended candles
Many people forget that candles are an open flame. You therefore need to be careful where you place candles. If they are left next to something flammable, there is a chance that this flammable item may catch alight. Candles that are placed on unstable surfaces or near drafty windows are also at risk of falling over.
A good rule of thumb is to never leave burning candles unattended. Always extinguish candles before going to bed or when leaving your house – this way if they fall over or something does catch alight, you can react quickly.
There are other safety measures that you can take with candles such as putting them in fire resistant candle holders, never placing them near curtains and never placing them under shelves.
Tumble dryer lint
Lint is a buildup of small pieces of yarn and fabric that come off your clothes when you put them in a tumble dryer. Lint needs to be regularly cleaned out – otherwise it can overheat and catch fire. In fact, roughly 15,000 fires are started every year in the US as a result of tumble dryer lint.
Freestanding tumble dryers typically have lint filters which you need to empty regularly. Modern models will typically tell you when you need to empty these filters and may not spin until you’ve emptied them. Older dryers may not warn you when to empty filters, in which case you need to make a conscious effort to do it (ideally after every use). Other tumble dryers are fixed to the wall and have vents that need to be periodically cleaned out.
Space heaters
Space heaters are portable plug-in heaters. They used to be renowned for causing house fires, however in recent decades they have become a lot safer. That said, they can still be a fire risk if you don’t use them correctly.
It’s important to remember that space heaters create a lot of heat. If placed too near a curtain or flammable item, the heat could start a fire. Space heaters can also cause fires if they fall over – especially if they land heater-side down on a carpet or rug. Modern space heaters typically have kill switches that activate if a heater falls over. Older heaters won’t have this safety feature and therefore need to be placed on stable surfaces where cables cannot be accidentally tugged. You should also refrain from running older heaters through the night while you are asleep – if they fall over, you won’t be able to react.
Toaster crumbs
When was the last time you cleaned out your toaster? It’s possible it could be full of crumbs. These crumbs could be a fire risk – so it’s important to regularly clean out your toaster.
Many toasters have a crumb tray that you can easily take out to dispose of crumbs. If not, you may have to shake the toaster upside down to get them out. When cleaning the inside of your toaster, make sure that it is unplugged and not still hot. Try to avoid using water.
Nail polish remover
Nail polish remover is highly flammable. Many fires have been caused as a result of using nail polish remover near heat sources such as ovens or even outlets. This is simply due to vapors catching fire.
To avoid a fire, always use nail polish remover in a well ventilated room with no heat sources nearby. Never use nail polish remover in the kitchen with the oven on.
Linseed oil rags
Linseed oil is commonly used to finish and maintain wooden surfaces – including old timber windows, hardwood floors and wooden furniture. It can also be used on stone surfaces as a sealer. When applying linseed oil, you need to take great care as to what you do with the rags used to apply it. Linseed oil is known to heat as it dries. This has been known to cause rags to spontaneously combust!
What should you do with linseed oil coated rags once you’ve used them? A common solution to prevent fires is to leave the rag to soak in water for 24 hours before disposing of it. Alternatively, you can keep it in a metal container with a lid so that if it does combust the fire is contained. Whatever you do, don’t place the rag directly in a trashcan – it could set fire to everything else in there if it combusts.
