A Look at the Leading Causes of House Fires|SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County

11/5/2021 (Permalink)

You can count on SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County if you ever suffer fire damage at your home,

To see something as valuable as your home up in flames is devastating! House fires can happen without warning and take over your home and personal items in a matter of minutes.

Even with all of the awareness campaigns about fire safety over the last few decades, more than a quarter of all reported fires still occur in homes.

By knowing the top causes of house fires, we can help get these numbers down. Read on to get a look at those causes and how to prevent them.

Cooking. The majority of house fires begin in the kitchen. The No. 1 cause is unattended cooking. When you’re using the stove, oven or grill, be sure you’re physically and mentally present at all times.

Heating equipment. Because of a combination of things like mishaps or equipment malfunctions, 14% of house fires are started because of heating equipment. Portable space heaters can be particularly dangerous. If you use a space heater, be sure it is placed away from flammable objects and on a level surface.

Electrical fires. These days, electricity plays an essential role in our daily lives, and you will find it in basically every room of the house. Simple carelessness can increase your fire risk, so ensure you aren’t using frayed cords or wires and that you take care not to overload outlets. If you live in an older house, have your electrical system inspected regularly, since older systems weren’t built to withstand the amount of energy being used today.

Intentional fires. There are more than 28,000 intentional home fires started every year. We don’t mean a fire that got out of hand accidentally. No, we mean someone purposefully set a home structure on fire with the intent of destruction.

Smoking materials. Cigarettes and other smoking materials may cause only 5% of house fires, but they are the leading cause of fire death. People often fall asleep with these things still burning in their home.

Regardless of the cause, SERVPRO is here for you if your home is affected by fire. Contact SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County, let us help make it "Like it never even happened."