Winter Fire Hazards Around The Home

We have helped countless families in the past few years that have fallen victim to a house fire and the stress involved is in many cases, immeasurable.

There is nothing more frightening than a house fire. A house fire takes on a life of its own and within moments, a fire can take over an entire structure, and leave a family devastated by its damage.

According to the US Fire Administration, part of FEMA, over 50% of all house fires in 2016 were the result of cooking. Close to 10% were because of heating issues and over 6% were due to some type of carelessness. And of course there are many other causes of winter fires that can occur.

What everyone should focus on is fire prevention as the winter season presents its own unique set of reasons for fires. Let’s go through some of the advice experts focus on to help reduce the chance of a house fire.

Candles

With winter can come power outages. And many will use candles when their power goes out. In 2016, approximately 8,200 fires in the US were the result of candle fires. If you do need to use candle, make sure they are placed in a durable candle holder. When you do light the candle, make sure there is nothing flammable in the way including your own hair. And of course, if someone in the home is using oxygen, do not use candles at all.

Electrical

Electrical fires often don’t come with a warning sign. And that’s why it is so important to have your entire electrical system checked out by a licensed electrician. An electrician will go through your entire home and make sure that you are safe from top to bottom. If you have moved into your home and have never had the electrical system inspected, make a call to a local electrician.

Fireplaces

Yes, despite your fireplace being surrounded by bricks and some steel, you can cause a house fire with your fireplace if you are not careful. First, make sure you have your fireplace and chimney inspected on a regular basis. Experts recommend after every 80 fires, have it inspected by a professional. Keep anything flammable away from the fireplace such as drapes, flammable carpeting or upholstered furniture.

Heating

If you have not had your furnace serviced in some time, call a professional. According to FEMA, 1 in every 7 home fires starts from a heating source. Have it cleaned and serviced every year. Also, if you need to use space heaters, make sure the plugs are not frayed in any way and do not plug more than one into the same outlet. Don’t use an extension cord and make sure you keep them far away for anything flammable.

Generators & Grills

While this might be obvious, we still see reports of fires all the time because someone either started a generator in their home or used a grill inside for heat or cooking. Do not do either. Both are a fire hazard waiting to happen.

Being smart and having a little common sense when it comes to preventing a house fire will save you stress, an incredible amount of grief and could save your life.