Leading Cause of Household Fires

7/5/2018 (Permalink)

Leading Cause of Household Fires

According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking is the leading factor in household fires in the United States. From overheated stoves to unattended flames, the kitchen presents a variety of hazards for even the most astute home chef. While living room and bedroom fires account for a small percentage of annual household fires, staying safe in the kitchen will prevent significantly more fires from damaging your property and endangering your safety.

Avoidable Accidents

Everyone experiences an accident in the kitchen from time to time. You might forget to turn off the burner or allow a sudden blast from the oven to set off your smoke alarm. Tiny accidents can lead to big trouble down the road. Here are some ways to prevent kitchen fires:

Set timers and pay attention to them.

Cover up unused outlets with plastic covers to prevent sparks.

Wear protective clothing when you cook with hot oil.

Keep small children away from pot handles and other hot objects.

If your kitchen begins to fill with smoke, try opening a window or another door to increase ventilation. You may even consider installing a fan to help circulate the air. You might be tempted to disable a ringing smoke detector out of annoyance. Avoid disabling your smoke detector even for a minute because you might forget to turn it back on when you really need it.

Staying Alert

Kitchens might present the most dangerous opportunity for fire hazards, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the rest of your home. Turn off electric items that aren’t in use, and keep flammable fabrics away from direct heat sources. Not only will monitoring your electrical items keep you from causing a fire, but doing so will also help you save energy in the long run. The key to effectively preventing household fires is establishing a system of vigilance between you and your whole family.

If you’ve recently experienced damage as a result of water or fire damage, then let SERVPRO Flagler County / NSB-Titusville be your go-to source for information and advice. We offer a variety of services from cleanup to restoration, and we can help mitigate the loss you suffer due to fire and water damage