No one would argue that the modern lifestyle is much safer than it was even a couple of dozens of years ago. Let alone a century ago. So many threats that once meant death, and no choice, are long gone and forgotten. But still, some troubles remain, and one of the most painful problems is a house fire.
Though modern technologies help us prevent them and fight effectively if not stopped, people get injured and die in house fires every year besides the huge financial loss. Staying aware of the most common house fire causes is vital – when you know what can provoke the fire, you can protect yourself much better.
Common House Fire Causes – Where, When, and What to Watch to Prevent Disasters
Fires always have a cause, and many causes remain the same for centuries. Indeed, they become less frequent. Getting rid of many flammable agents we used to work with before and implementing new, safer technologies let us reduce many causes of house fires, but not eliminate them for good. So, let us have a closer look at the things that might cause trouble.
1. Faulty Wiring and Malfunctioning Electrical Products
These are two causes, but they come hand in hand, and it is reasonable to unite them into one. Modern homes are packed with cutting-edge technical appliances, and they are fed by electricity. Any failure can potentially lead to a fire in one item, and that fire can quickly spread. Wiring often suffers from overloading if there are too many appliances plugged into one socket. Then, short circuits become the leading cause of house fires.
However, it is enough to stick to several rules to prevent disasters caused by malfunctioning electrical appliances and wiring.
- Invest in your wiring and make it as solid as possible. It might cost extra, but it is the foundation of home safety.
- Don’t overload sockets – it is better to install more of them and thus accept the “distributed” load.
- Check all electrical devices regularly. If you detect any worn wires or damaged elements, stop using such devices immediately.
- Don’t repair faulty devices or wiring yourself, unless you are an expert. Turn to specialists to fix the malfunctioning appliances or replace them with new ones.
- Don’t leave electrical appliances unattended. Always turn off power sockets and plugs if they aren’t in use, especially if you are not at home.
READ: Smart Home Safety – The Most Popular Technologies That Protect Our Lives
Besides, try to reduce the number of connected devices. On the one hand, more and more electrical appliances come to the market, and you might find them useful. On the other hand, some others are already obsolete. For instance, scanning appliances were common several years ago. However, we can simply scan documents on iPhone and receive files of high quality to use where needed. The same goes for copying documents and saving them. There is no need to keep some cumbersome appliance when we can replace it with a tiny PDF scanner on an iPhone. Less equipment (scanning, copying, and anything else) means fewer risks of short circuits.
2. Cooking
The kitchen is one of the most dangerous places in a house. It has plenty of electrical equipment, and we use fire to cook. Two dangerous factors are together, increasing the risks tremendously, and any spark can cause a fire to consume the area within seconds. When you are cooking anything, you must stay alert and aware, and always follow the rules:
- Never leave the kitchen equipment unattended when it is in use, especially when you are cooking anything on the fire.
- Be very careful when you are using oil and fat in your cooking – these are flammable ingredients. Incandescent oil also causes injuries too frequently during cooking.
- Always check the cooking equipment and switch it off immediately if there are any wrong smells, sounds, sparks, or other signs of malfunctioning.
These rules might seem obvious, but they are true. The kitchen is the area where you have many factors of risks in a limited area, and you can never ignore them.
3. Smoking
A cigarette is the cause of so many fatal house fires. Thousands of deaths happened because of falling asleep with a cigarette burning or left burning somewhere. Of course, the best means of fire prevention is to not smoke at all. A person who quits smoking does good for their health, reducing the risks of many illnesses. Also, it eliminates this factor in most common house fire causes completely. But if it can’t happen at the moment, do your best to prevent the problems:
- Make sure to put the cigarettes out when you want to leave the room. It should not be burning even in an ashtray. A burning cigarette is already a fire, and you can’t leave it unattended even for a moment.
- Specify the designated smoking area, preferably outside. Remove all flammable things from there. Whether you are going to smoke alone or have a party with smoking friends, go to that area. Many fires happened because of smoking over chairs and sofas.
- If you have children, make sure to hide the cigarettes and matches somewhere they won’t access them.
READ: Kitchen Fire Extinguisher: The Best Fire Extinguisher For Your Kitchen
And the primary recommendation is the same – try to quit smoking. You may use fire-safe cigarettes, IQOS. If you aren’t alone in the house, and there are other smokers – pay attention to their activities, especially when you are having a party with drinks. Such people will be an additional risk factor in your house, so be aware of that.
Protect Your House From Fire With The Help Of Technologies
The primary condition why a majority of house fires take place is the delay in reaction. The sooner you detect the fire, the easier it is to tame it. However, you know you should always be aware, but it is tiring. You may lose focus for a minute, and that will be enough for the spark in the wiring to grow into a fire. Or, the short circuit may happen when you are not at home.
To reduce this risk, you can refer to technologies, especially smoke and fire sensors. Such sensors alert you immediately when they detect the earliest signs which can lead to a fire. No matter where you are at that moment, you’ll get the alert on your iPhone.
The system can send you text messages or a sound alarm through the app. So, you aren’t only notified but can react at once. For instance, you may call the fire brigade, turn the fire sprinkling system on through another app, and disable the electricity in your house.
You should educate yourself on the causes of house fires and the means to prevent them. It is possible to reduce the risk in your life and the lives of your close people. So, follow the rules, add more security means, and stay safe.
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