What to Look for When Spotting a Fire Hazard

Fire hazards can remain undetectable until it’s too late. Thousands of fires each year are the result of improperly identified fire hazards. Every person has a responsibility to ensure that potential fire hazards don’t develop into actual fires. In addition, many serious fires have been the result of undetected abandoned materials accumulating over time and then igniting.

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At United Water Restoration Group of Melbourne, we specialize in fire damage restoration. Below are some ways to avoid hazards while protecting your family and property.

Electrical Fire Hazards

Electrical fires are a common fire hazard that is overlooked. Many fires may start when a connection or junction box is damaged, thus exposing live wires. Check to make sure your outlets are not overloaded or showing signs of wear. Use extension cords when applicable. Surge protectors may be useful for protecting electronics, but excessive use of electricity plugged in can be a fire hazard.

Keeping electronics away from fabrics and flammable items is a smart move since they can overheat and ignite a fire. Televisions can actually overheat! So storing them near flammable objects will ignite a fire, when left on for extended periods of time.

Kitchen Hazards

Kitchen fire hazards are the major cause of fires in homes, large or small. Keep your trash containers away from the stove, and keep flammable items like cleaning products and paper towels out of reach when you’re cooking. Microwaves can actually cause fires! Be sure nothing flammable is stored near them, since a long duration of use causes a fire to spark.

Grease fires can be intense! If one forms, do not toss water onto it! cover it with a lid to suffocate the flames. Something smart to do is buy a fire extinguisher to store in your kitchen!

Space Heater Safety

Heaters are very common in the winter but are also hazards. Place space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn, like bedding or clothing. An electric spark to a wardrobe is the cause of many fires! Space heaters are involved in 1 of every 6 home fires during the winter months. These can, unfortunately, lead to death. 1 in every 5 home fire deaths is during colder months as a result of heating equipment.

Controlled Fires

Make sure you check your chimney regularly before starting a fire. Your chimney should have a fireplace screen or something to keep pets and small children from falling in. Make sure you clean your fireplace annually and remove any debris that might build up over time.

A candle can be very romantic but if not used properly, it can cause a major fire! Keep candles away from drapes, curtains, furniture, or anything that might catch on fire easily. Also, make sure an open flame is never left unattended. A jar with sand and water can prevent the spread of candle flames should they fall onto things nearby.

Large Appliances

Check your appliances! The dryer’s lint screen and outside exhaust need to be cleaned out regularly! The build-up of lint can result in a fire. Once again, check the outlets to make sure there is no overloading going on near all appliances.

Fire Hazards in Outside Storage

Your storage areas can also impact a fire starting. Make sure the areas are properly ventilated and well-insulated. Overloading with too many boxes, containers, or cabinets can cause a fire to start from the buildup of heat. If storing items near a furnace or heater that can overheat, move them!

Fuel for grills or space heaters needs to be stored away from a building. When using these, store them away from the home in case the exterior overheats or they tip over. Grills should be used away from the home as well and kept away from the foliage.

The Amazing Fire Alarm

Smoke alarms are extremely important when recognizing a fire in your home. These can wake you up in the night with enough time to evacuate! Do not forget to test your alarms regularly, while also checking the batteries. Having multiple alarms is very important so they can each detect a fire in a portion of the house before it’s too late.

Check Regularly for Fire Hazards

A fire hazard is something that can cause a person’s property to lose its value in an instant. If you see something out of place, then take care of it immediately! You may avoid major damage not only to yourself but also to others around you. Losing your property can take a matter of minutes if fire hazards are not regularly checked.