Unfortunately, home fires are closer to us than we think, and in 2019 alone, in a country like the United States, there were 354,400 home fires, of which about 1,900 were fatal. For this reason, members of every family need to know the main causes of house fires and ways to prevent them, and each member of each family should know well what to do and where to start if there is a fire in the house. What are the most important safety tips to prevent a house fire ? In this article from Ganjineh Pavan’s blog, we answer this question
4 main causes of home fires;
According to statistics from the US Fire Department in 2019, the four main causes of house fires included the following:
- Fire in the kitchen; (52%)
- Use of heating devices; (9.3%)
- Negligence and risky behaviors of residents; (7.7%)
- Faulty electrical equipment; (6.8%)
In this article, we are going to talk more about each of these 4 main causes of home fires and further explain the solutions to prevent such fires.
Prevent a house fire in the kitchen
Kitchen fires usually occur when food is left unattended in the oven or it is close to flames, toasters, etc. Although kitchen fires are by far the most common cause of home fires, fortunately, such fires can easily be prevented at home.
For this purpose, first of all, you must be careful when cooking on gas or in the oven, especially if you are cooking with oil or making fatty foods because these ingredients at high temperatures catch on fire so quickly.
In the second step, always keep the cooking area and around the oven clean and keep flammable materials and appliances as far away from gas flames or kitchen heating appliances as possible.
In the third stage, always have a fire extinguisher A B C in a suitable place in the kitchen so that in case of fire, you can put it out very quickly.
Fire as a result of the use of heating devices;
The second factor in domestic fires is the use of portable heating devices and electric heaters. Between 2014 and 2018 alone, the U.S. Fire Department was sent to put out 48,530 home fires caused by the use of heating devices. Statistics that are also confirmed by NFPA data.
The following ways can help prevent fires from using heating appliances:
- Place flammable appliances and materials at a distance of 1 meter from heating appliances.
- Do not forget to maintain heating appliances, fireplaces, and heating pipes at least once a year;
- Turn off electric heaters while sleeping;
kerosene heaters and paraffin heaters in addition to the risk of fire, provide the risk of carbon monoxide and suffocation from it. The best way to be safe from suffocation from this carbon monoxide is to use a carbon monoxide detector alongside smoke detectors indoors.
Fires as a result of negligence and risky behaviors of residents;
In 2019 alone, carelessness and negligence caused $ 1.5 billion in damage to Americans. Fires caused by the carelessness of the occupants of the building usually include the following:
- Leaving a lighted cigarette butt on the sofa or floor;
- throwing the lighted matches;
- knockdown lighted candles;
It is best not to smoke indoors at all, but if you decide to do so, make sure your cigarette butt is completely turned off before throwing it away, and when it is still on, is not located near flammable materials
It is recommended that you wet the match heads before discarding them, to make sure they are completely off.
Lighted candles should always be kept away from flammable materials and out of the reach of children and pets to minimize accidental overturning.
Fire as a result of faulty electrical equipment;
Factors that may cause a home fire due to the use of electrical appliances and equipment are:
- Faulty electrical outlet or plug;
- Damaged or old power cords;
- Use of unsuitable headlights and lamps for home lighting;
At the earliest opportunity, with the help of an experienced electrician, you should repair electrical outlets that do not fit properly. Damaged sockets, when heated and starting a fire, can turn into deadly fires.
Generally, electrical wiring in old houses does not have good condition, and for this reason, it is necessary to replace this wiring as soon as possible by an experienced person. On the other hand, whenever you turn on a light or plug in an electrical appliance, you feel the smell of burns, you should check it out as soon as possible and possibly replace the faulty wiring.
Unfortunately, if you follow all the safety tips mentioned above, there will still be a possibility of a house fire, so be sure to review the plan required to evacuate the house with other family members in the event of a fire, minimize the possibility of irreparable damage.
Ganjineh Pavan and endless safety against domestic fires;
If you want to learn more about fire safety solutions for your home and get more information from Ganjineh Pavan‘s expert on installing home fire alarms and extinguishing systems, please visit our contact page on the Ganjineh Pavan website.
