Common Causes For House Fires

Posted June 15, 2015

According to research performed by the NFPA there are anywhere between 350,000 to 400,000 houses that receive fire damage in the United States every year, which results in over $8 billion dollars in annual damages. If you are a homeowner those are some scary statistics and you want to do what you can to educate yourself and your family to protect your house, and your family, from being a victim of a house fire. One of the first steps you need to take in protecting your home is learning what the common causes for house fires are.

Five Common Causes For House Fires

1. Cooking

   – According to the NFPA 40 percent of all house fires are caused from cooking related incidents. Probably the most common occurrence is when an oven is left unattended.

2. Children playing with fire

   – When children are left unattended and play with matches or lighters the chances are very high that an accident may occur. Kids need to be educated about fire safety and fully understand the consequences of playing with fire.

3. Smoking

   – It is not uncommon for house fires to be started because someone fell asleep while smoking. This is extremely dangerous and cautions should be taken when someone is smoking inside the house.

4. Heating

   – House fires can be caused whenever your furnace is not checked up on a regular basis (this should be done on a yearly basis just before the beginning of winter time) or whenever small space heaters malfunction.

5. Electrical problems

   – One of the main culprits for house fires is the over use of extension cords. Electrical outlets can only pull so many watts, so overloading them with extension cords can put your home at risk of a fire. It is also a good idea to have an electrician perform an annual checkup of the wiring of your house.

 

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