Common Causes of House Fires

2/13/2019 (Permalink)

A candle that was left unattended caused this house fire in New Philadelphia, Ohio.

5 most common causes of house fires

House Fires can be detrimental to your home and your family in New Philadelphia, Ohio. They can be caused by anything ranging from cooking to candles and you never know when they are going to happen. In order to ensure that your house does not catch fire below are a list of the five most common causes of house fires and how to prevent them.  

1. Cooking: Cooking is the number one cause of house fires. This is mainly due to individuals leaving a hot stove or oven unattended.  To prevent a house fire always stay in the same room which you are cooking and if you need to leave have someone watch the stove.
2. Heating: As the second leading cause of house fires unmaintained heating and space heaters caused 54,030 house fires from 2011-2015. To prevent a fire in your house have an inspector look and clean your heating equipment yearly. In regards to space heaters, keep them 3 feet from anything that can easily catch fire such as clothes, blankets, curtains or furniture. When you are not home make sure to turn the space heaters off.
3. Smoking in bedrooms: Smoking is the number one leading cause of fire related deaths in the US. To prevent house fires and fatalities do not smoke in bedroom areas and reduce smoking in common house areas. Smoking outside will ensure most safety. Check to make sure the butt of a cigarette is completely out before leaving. If a smoker seems unimpaired or tired watch them to guarantee safety.
4. Electrical Equipment: Electrical Equipment causes on average $1 billion in property loss each year. It can be caused by a variety of electrical aspects including appliances, frayed wires, and light bulbs. To prevent a fire in your house and property loss have an electrician handle all electrical projects. Make sure appliances are correctly taken care of along with frayed and damaged cords are removed and thrown away to refrain from overloading outlets and use bulbs with proper wattages.
5. Candles: Candles are a great way of decorating your home, but if not taken care of properly can cause on average 35 house fires a day and can lead to death. In order to prevent your house from catching on fire do not leave candles unattended and put them out before you go to bed or leave your house. Make sure when placing candles to keep them away from flammable surfaces.

If you do have a house fire call SERVPRO of South & East Stark County at 330-823-4088 and we will restore and clean your property. It will be “Like it never even happened.”