How to Prevent 5 Common Types of House Fires To Avoid Damage Cleanup
Here at ICON Property Rescue, we’ve seen fire from all sorts of causes badly damage homes, and it’s a travesty because most causes of house fires are preventable. Only you can prevent a house fire! It just requires being knowledgeable, alert, and proactive. Here are 5 common types of house fires that we see often, along with our tips on how to prevent them in your Covington home.
Fire Damage Cleanup In Covington
- House fires caused by cooking. Fires started by cooking make up 49% of residential fires- about half. Grease can heat up and become extremely flammable, before it spontaneously combusts. To prevent grease fires, be sure to wash your dishes and cookware between uses to prevent a buildup of grease. In the event that you experience a grease fire, do not try to extinguish it with water, as that will lead to hot grease spewing everywhere, potentially harming you. Instead, turn off the source of heat. Cover the fire with a pot or pan lid or something similar, or pour baking soda or salt on the fire. As a last resort, a class B fire extinguisher can be used on a grease fire.
- Electrical fires. These can be caused by short circuits causing arcing that burns building materials, or overloading a circuit. Electrical systems that are installed correctly and are fairly modern are very safe. We recommend having your wiring checked if you live in an older home to make sure your electricity is safe. We suggest that all electrical repairs be done by trained electricians. Resist the urge to save a buck by doing minor electrical work yourself.
- House fires caused by smoking. Smoke outside, or, if you must smoke inside, do so over a sink with an ashtray to reduce fire risk. Do not ever smoke while lying in bed.
- Fires caused by heating appliances. Space heaters and basement heaters are common culprits of starting house fires when blankets, clothing, or other flammable materials are left too close to them when they’re on. Electrical heaters are generally safer than fueled heaters that use something like kerosene, as it can easily combust. To prevent this type of fire? Follow the directions of whatever appliance you’re using, do not leave the home with it operating, leave the area directly around it clear of any clutter, and inspect it fairly regularly to make sure it is in good condition.
- Christmas tree home fires. While certainly the least common cause of house fires on this list, Christmas trees have a particular potential to start a house fire under the right circumstances, and ought to be mentioned. Real trees can become very dry and brittle and are more dangerous than artificial trees. If you have a real tree, keep the water reservoir full at all times to prevent excessive drying. Regardless of the type of tree you have, be sure to turn out the lights when you leave the home or go to sleep for the night to lessen the risk of your tree starting a house fire.
Of course, in the unfortunate event that you have experienced a house fire already or do in the future, if you live in or near Covington, go ahead and give us a call, and we’re qualified and prepared to help with all of your fire damage restoration needs. Do not wait to deal with the aftermath of any fire damage. Contact a professional restoration team as soon as you can in order to save what you can in your home.