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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that about 1.3 million fire-related incidents happen yearly in the United States, resulting in $14.8 billion in losses and fire damage restoration costs. About one in three of those reported incidents take place in residential homes.
Despite these high figures, it’s important to note that most residential fires can be prevented. It starts with knowing where most of these cases occur and what you can do to prevent accidents.
Below, we’ve outlined a list of areas around the home where fires commonly begin and essential information on how you can prevent fires at home and protect your family.
Most Fire-Prone Areas in the Home
If you look at statistics on most residential fires, you will see that these incidents follow a pattern that can be traced back to a handful of rooms. Here are five of the most common places fires will likely start at home:
- Kitchen – kitchen accidents are the leading cause of house fires in the United States. Common causes include cooking with open flames near flammable materials, high cooking temperatures, and negligence.
- Laundry Room – only about four percent of residential fires begin in the laundry room. However, it still belongs in the top five, with 92 percent of fire incidents being caused by dryers.
- Bedroom – most electrical fires begin in the bedroom. Many of these incidents are caused by malfunctioning lighting and faulty appliances, such as space heaters and electric blankets.
- Living Room – the leading causes of living room fires are accidents relating to fireplaces and heating equipment.
- Attic – most electrical fires that begin in the attic are caused by faulty wiring and malfunctioning equipment.
Important Fire Safety Tips
It only takes a few seconds for fires to begin and just a few minutes for the fire to spiral out of control. Fortunately, most residential fires are generally preventable. Here are a few tips on how you can keep your home fire safe:
Install a Smoke Alarm
Smoke detectors provide early warning capabilities that are extremely helpful in detecting fires before they turn into a disaster. But make sure to test them every six months to see if they are still working for maximum protection against fires, smoke, and carbon monoxide.
Inspect Your Boiler or Gas Furnace Frequently
Boilers and gas furnaces operate under extreme pressure and often experience wide swings in temperature. Under these operating conditions, minor problems can quickly turn catastrophic if not managed properly (or at all). That is why inspecting both regularly according to the manufacturer’s guidelines is important to ensure they are working perfectly.
Have a Fire Extinguisher Ready
A fire extinguisher is the handiest fire-fighting equipment you can have at home. An easily accessible fire extinguisher can help you put out small fires quickly before they spread to other areas and cause even more damage.
Pay Attention When Cooking
Cooking is one of the most common causes of household fires. In most cases, fire damage clean up begin in kitchens mainly because of faulty equipment or negligent behavior. Ensure all cooking surfaces are working correctly to prevent forgotten cooking equipment accidents. But above all, keep your mind in the right place and avoid distractions so you can focus on the task at hand while cooking.
Inspect All Outlets
Most families today have more devices than ever that require plugging into electrical outlets. As a precaution, inspect all electrical outlets, cords, and surge protectors, or have them professionally checked out by an electrician. Additionally, make sure you are not overloading your outlets by plugging in too many devices in a single socket.
Call the Fire Damage Clean Up Experts at Restoration 1
Losing your belongings and assets to a house fire is a devastating experience nobody should ever go through. Fortunately, residential fires can be prevented by taking the proper precautions. By following the tips we shared above, you can eliminate fire hazards in your home and protect your property and your family’s safety.
However, disasters do occur, no matter how slim the chances may be. If you’re going through a terrible property loss due to a fire incident, call Restoration 1 of Suffolk County immediately. Backed by our extensive experience and expertise in fire damage restoration, we restore your property to its pre-loss condition as quickly as possible. We act swiftly to help you get through this terrible ordeal in the least amount of time possible. For reliable fire damage restoration services, call Restoration 1 of Suffolk County!
